Russian folk-tales (tr. from the Russian)

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tine Cornell University Library.

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Cornell University Library
PG 3115.A25 1916

Russian folk-tales

3 1924 026 605 497

RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

DEDICATED

TO

J. C.

RUSSIAN
FOLK -TALES

(TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN)

WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

BY

LEONARD A. ^AGNUS, LL.B.

EDITOR AND TRANSLATOR OF "tHE ARMAMENT OF IGOR (a.D. II85)"

ETC.

NEW YORK

E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY

681 FIFTH AVENUE

1916

PRINTED BY W. BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PLYMOUTH, SNGLAHD

INTRODUCTION

Any editor o£ Slav folk-tales starts with great advantages.
Russia is a country where artistic development began
very late ; where popular lore was conserved with little
alteration owing to the immensities of the country, the
primitiveness of the people, and the punctiliousness of
the compilers.

The principal source for Russian folk-tales is the
great collection of Afaiiasev, a coeval of Rybnikov,
Kireyevski, Sakharov, Bealsonov, and others who all from
about 1850 to 1870 laboriously took down from the lips
of the peasants of all parts of Russia what they could of
the endless store of traditional song, ballad, and folk-
tale. These great collectors were actuated only by the
desire for accuracy ; they appended laboriously erudite
notes ; but they were not literary men and did not
sophisticate, or improve on their material.

But, before venturing on a brief account of the tales,
something must be premised as to the position occupied
by folk-tales in the cultural development of a people.
In Pagan times, there always existed a double religion,
the ceremonial worship of the gods of nature and the
tribal deities, — a realm of thought in which all current
philosophy and idealism entered into a set form that
symbolized the State, — and also local cults and super-
stitions, the adoration of the spirits of streams, wells,
hills, etc. To all Aryan peoples, Nature has always been
alive, but never universalized, or romanticized, as in
modern days ; wherever you were, the brook, the wind,
the knoll, the stream were all inhabited by agencies,

vi INTRODUCTION

which could be propitiated, cajoled, threatened, but,
under all conditions, were personal forces, who could not
, be disregarded.

When Christianity transformed the face of the world,
it necessarily left much below the surface unafEected.
The great national divinities were proscribed and sub-
merged ; some of their features reappearing in the
legendary feats of the saints. The local cults continued,
with this diflFerence, that they were now condemned by
the Church and became clandestine magic ; or else they
were adopted by the Church, and the rites and sanc-
tuaries transferred. The memory of them subsisted ;
the fear of these local gods degenerated into super-
stition ; the magic of the folk-tales becomes half -fantastic,
half-conventional, belief in which is surreptitious, usual,
and optional. At this stage of disorganization of local
custom, folk-tales arise, and into them, transmitted as
they are orally and under the ban of the Church, con-
taminations of all sorts creep, such as mistaken etymor
logies, faint memories of real history, reminiscences
of lost folk-songs. Christian legend and morals, etc.

The Russian people have handed down three cate-
gories of records. First of all, the Chronicles, which are
very full, very accurate, and, within the limits of the
temporary concepts of possibility and science, absolutely
true. Secondly, the ballads or byliny ; epic songs in an
ancient metre, narrating historical episodes as tkey
occur ; and also comprising a cycle of heroic romance,
comparable with the chansons de geste of Charlemagne,
the cycles of Finn and Cuchiilain of the Irish, and
possibly with the little minor epics out of which it is
supposed that some supreme Greek genius built up the
artistic epics of the Iliad and the Odyssey. These byliny
may be ranked as fiction : i.e. as facts of real life (as then
understood), applied to non-existent, unvouched, or
legendary individuals. They are not bare records of

INTRODUCTION vii

fact, like the Chronicles ; imagination enters into their
scope ; non-human, miraculous incidents are allowable ;
their content is not a matter for faith or factual record ;
they may be called historical fiction, which, broadly
taken, corresponded to actual events, and typified the
national strivings and ideals. The traditional ceremonial
songs, magical incantations and popular melodies are of
the same date and in the same style.

Thirdly, the folk-tales. In their matter, these differ
little, if at all, from the common Aryan stock. In their
treatment, there are well-marked divergencies. They
are, in the first place, characterized by the so-called
realism that tinges all Russian literature ; a better word
would be factualism, as realism is associated with the
anti-romanticism that accentuates material facts and
seeks to obliterate moral factors.

This attitude of mind is rather like that of a careful
observer, who has become callous, because he is helpless —
an attitude of those who serve and stand and wait.

From the earliest Chronicles to the most modern
fiction, this factuaUsm characterizes Russian work. It
has reacted on the Folk-tales in several ways ; all the
more observable as we have them fresh and ungarnished,
as the tellers told them.

The stories are not, like the German Mdrchen, neatly
rounded off into consequential and purposive stories.
The incidents follow almost haphazard ; and at the end,
the persons mentioned at the beginning may be forgotten ;
the stories are often almost as casual as real life.

The stories relate experiences in succession, attempt no
judgment, do not even affirm their own credibility.
Things simply happen ; our exertions may sometimes
be some good ; we can oiily be quietly resigned. But,
unlike the Arabian Nights, there is no positive fatalism ;
for that would imply a judgment ; a warping of facts
to suit a theory.

viii INTRODUCTION

Equally, there is none of the artistic grace of Greek
legend, nor the exuberance of Celtic fantasy; both
of these are departures from the crude, unilluded, unex-
pectant observation.

This unconsciously involves a perfect art with regard
to detail ; so much is told as a man would remember of
an experience ; there is no striving after impressionalism,
nor meticulous detail.

The prevailing tone is sadness ; but there is no
absence of humour ; yet fun merely happens, and is
inherent ; there is no broad, boisterous fun.

In them, unlike other Aryan folk-tales, there are no
fairies, nor giants, nor gnomes, nor personifications of
nature. As in his Pagan myths, the Slav never advanced
beyond inchoate conceptions of Nature, he neither
philosophized like the Hindu, nor created types of pure
grace like the Greek, nor beautiful fancies, like the Celt.
Where the river-gods [vodyanoy], or the wood-sprites
[lesi], have human form, it is to a certain extent because
they have been contaminated with the Christian Devil.

To sum up, these undiluted products of the Russian
people are a faithful mirroring of life, as it appeared,
casual ; for the most part unfortunate, and inscrutable.

There are some very frequent supernatural beings.
The Witch who lives in the forest, rides the winds in a
mortar, devours human flesh, lives in a hut on cocks'
legs, is one of the commonest. The great baleful
magician is Koshchey the Deathless, whose soul, in some
stories, is contained in an egg far away, fearsomely
guarded. Historically, his ancestry is the dread Tatar,
in which figure all the previous Turanian tribes that
overran medieval Russia have been confounded.

Notes will be found deahng with all such specific
persons and places.

The folk-tales are very various ; some classes of them
can be distinguished.

INTRODUCTION ix

Tlie bestiary, or animal story, is common, and the
parts which the beasts enact are similar to the Teutonic
fairy-tales.

The semi-sacred legends of the days when Christ and
his Apostles walked the earth, superficially may be com-
pared with Grimm's stories. But the spirit is very
different. To a very slight extent they are based on
the Gospel. But the Russian Christ of the folk-tales is
a good, just, honest peasant, with democratic sympathies,
and plenty of humour. His justice is unwavering, but
tempered with sound common sense. He is kind, charit-
able and thoroughly human.

The Saints also walk the earth. Saint George [Egori]
has taken over many Pagan legends ; in one of the semi-
sacred byliny [v. Bezsonov, Kaleki Perekhozhie], he
turns round the oaks and the mountains, like Vertodub
and Vertogor, and in other byliny of the same class the
miraculous incidents of the birth of Ilya Muromets are
attributed to him. Saint Nicholas is the worker of
miracles ; and Saint Elias has had some of the powers
of the thundergod transferred to him.

Other stories are prose adaptations of the ballads,
and must be considered as such.

There are two personifications, which call for special
attention, those of Death and of Sorrow. Both are
borrowed from ballad cycles. Both figures appear as
ghostly spirits, who persecute man, but yet can be very
efficaciously and roughly handled.

There are some few satires ; but the large majority
cannot be readily classified. They contain the usual
incidents of transformations, magic, witches, the valor-
ous youngest son, the beautiful princess wronged by
the evil stepmother, — in fact, the common Aryan stock,
all tinged with the characteristic Slav temperiament.

Artless as these stories are, there are a few peculiar
conventions in the narration. Such are the little fore-

X INTRODUCTION

words, with their sardonic musings ; the conclusion of
almost every happy tale that the narrator was at the
feast, but never might taste the viands ; the references
to the distances the hero must go, which the narrator
has not the knowledge to estimate accurately ; the
reference to the land of these wonderful happenings,
" the thrice ninth land, the thrice tenth kingdom " ;
and many other traditional stylisms.

In conclusion, it should be stated "that the store of
primitive folklore of the Slavs has scarcely been touched.
The Slav peoples conserved primitive Aryan customs
almost up to the middle of the nineteenth century;
and then these were industriously and conscientiously
compiled. Taking Russia alone, there are collections of
magic formulas, ceremonial songs of Pagan origin,
volumes of traditional ballads ; and the ancient munic
has also been recorded. But Bulgaria, Little-Russia,
Serbia, Bohemia, and all the Slav countries have similar
compilations ; and every one of these nationalities is as
strongly individualized, as are, say, the Danes, . the
Dutch, and the Germans.

These stories have been translated direct from the
Russian of Afanalev ; the selection is intended to
represent, as completely as possible, the varieties of
Russian folk-tale. As far as an analytic language, like
modern English, can render so highly inflected a tongue as
Russian, the translator has tried to keep strictly to the
style and diction of the originals, which are the un-
doctored traditional stories.

THE PRONUNCIATION OF RUSSIAN WORDS

Every Russian word has one strongly accented syllable, which
is marked with an acute accent. The vowels are to be sounded as
in Italian.

Ch to be sounded as in English.

G always hard, as in ' give,' ' got ' : never as in ' gem.'

J always as in English.

Kh like German ci, or Scotch ch in ' loch.'

L when hard (e.g. before a, o, u) something like II in ' pull ' ;
when soft (e.g. before e, i) like I in French * vi/.'

S always hard, as in ' so'

V as in English : at the end of words as ' f.'

y consonantally, as in English * yet ' ; as a vowel like ' i ' in

' Will.'

Z always as in English.

Zh like ' J ' in leisure, or French ' j.'

CONTENTS

Page

Introduction

v

The Pronunciation of Russian Words

zi

The Dun Cow

I

A Tale of the Dead

6

ATakof theDead

8

A Tale of the Dead

9

The Bear, the Dog and the Cat ....

13

Egori the Brave and the Gipsy ....

17

Danllo the Unfortunate

22

The Soriry Drunkard

30

The Wolf and the Tailor

33

The Tale of the Silver Saucer and the Crystal Apple

36

42

The Sun and how it was Made by Divine Will

43

The Language of the Birds .....

45,

Baba Yaga and Zamoryshek

48

52

Mark the Rich

61

By Command of the Prince Daniel

64

The Thoughtless Word

70

The Tsaritsa Harpist

75

The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Bird of Light, and the Grej

7

-Wolf

78.

The Priest with the F.nvious Eyes ....

91

The Soldier and Death

96

The Midnight Dance

106

Vasilisa the Fair

. 109

XIV

CONTENTS

The Animals in the Pit

The Poor Widow ....

Ilya Miiromets and Svyatogor the Knight

The Smith and the Devil

The Princess who would not Smile

The Tsarevich and Dyad'ka .

Prince Evstafi ....

Vasilisa Popovna ....

The Dream . . ...

The Soldier and the Tsar in the Forest

The Tale of Alexander of Macedon

The Brother of Christ .

Alyosha Popovich

God's Blessing Compasses all Things

Shemyak the Judge

A Story of Saint Nicholas

The Potter

The Witch and the Sister of the Sun
Marya Moryevna , . ...

The Realm of Stone

The Story of Tsar Angey and how he Suffered for Pride

The Feast of the Dead .

The Quarrelsome Wife .

Ehjah the Prophet and St. Nicholas

The Princess to be Kissed at a Charge

The Wood Sprite

The Realms of Copper, Silver and Gold

Chufil-Filyushka ....

Donotknow ....

The Sea Tsar and Vasilisa the Wise

The Animals' Winter Quarters

The Story of Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale Robber

Nikita the Tanner ......

The Singing-Tree and the Speaking-Bird

CONTENTS

XV

Page

At the Behest of the Pike .274

The Journey to Jerusalem

281

Vazliza and Volga

282

The Enchanted Tsarevich

283

The Snake Princess

287

Beer and Bread .

292

Sorrow ....

299

Ivashko and the Wise Woman

306

Never-wash ....

3"

Christ and the Geese .

315

Christ and Folk-rsongs .

32^.

The Devil in the Dough-pan .

3^7

The Sun, The Moon and Crow Crowson

318

The Legless Knight and the Blind Knight

321

A Cure for Story-Telling

333

Notes

335

^ 349

RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

THE DUN COW

You know that there are all sorts in this world, good
and bad, people who do not fear God, and feel no shame
before their own brother.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there once
lived a Tsar and Tsaritsa, who had one only daughter,
Marya Tsarevna. But the old Tsaritsa died and the
Tsar took to him a second wife, who was a witch. And
the witch had three daughters, one of whom had one
eye, the next two eyes, and the third had three. The
stepmother could not abide Marya Tsarevna, and sent
the girl with a dun cow on to the heath, and gave her
a dry crust as her only food.

Marya Tsarevna went on to the heath, bowed down
to the right foot of the cow, and all at once was splendidly
dressed, and had as much to eat and drink as she liked.
So she guarded the dun cow the whole day, and looked
as gay as any lady in the land. And at night she bowed
down again in front of the right foot, and again became
shabby and went home. And the bit of bread she took
with her and offered it to her stepmother.

" Whatever is she living on ? " the witch thought, and
she gave her the same piece of bread next day, and told
her eldest daughter' to watch what Marya Tsarevna
did.

2 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

When they reached the heath Marya Tsarevna said :
" Come, Httle sister, I will find a cushion for your head."
So she went to look, but whispered to herself :

" Sleep, my sister, sleep.
Sleep, O sister mine ;
One eye go to sleep.

Close that eye of thine."

The sister went to sleep, and Marya Tsarevna stood
up, went to her dear dun cow, bowed down to the right
foot, and ate, and drank, and went about all day long
like a princess.

In the evening she woke up her sister and said : " Get
up, sister ; get up, dearest ; and we will go home."

" Oh ! oh ! oh ! " he sister whimpered, " I have been
asleep all day long and have not seen anything, and
mother will be so angry ! "

When they got home, the stepmother asked : " What
was it Marya Tsarevna ate and drank ? "

" I did not see anything."

So the witch scolded her, and next day sent the two-
eyed sister with Marya. " Go," she said, " and see what
she eats and drinks."

And the girls came to the heath, and Marya Tsarevna
said, " Come, little sister, I wiU find a cushion for your
head." So she went to search, and whispered to herself :

" Sleep, my sister, sleep,
Sleep, O sister mine ;
Two eyes go to sleep.

Close both eyes of thine."

Two-eyes went to sleep, and Marya Tsarevna bowed
down as before, to the right foot of the cow, and looked
like a princess all day long. In the evening she roused
Two-eyes ; and if the stepmother was angry before, she
was much angrier this time.

THE DUN COW 3

So next day she sent Three-eyes, and Marya Tsarevna
sent her to sleep in the same way ; only she forgot the
third eye, and that went on looking and looking at what
Marya Tsareyna did. For she ran to her dun cow's
right foot, bowed down, and ate, and drank, and went
about aU day long splendidly attired.

And when she got home she laid the dry crust on the
table. And the mother asked the daughter what Marya
Tsarevna had eaten and drunk. Three-eyes told her
everything ; and the witch ordered the dun cow to
be slain.

" You must be mad, woman," said the Tsar, " it's
quite a young heifer and so beautiful ! "

" I tell you," said the stepmother, " it must be done " ;
and the old Tsar consented.

But Marya Tsarevna asked him : " Father, do at least
give me a little tiny bit out of the cow ! "

The old man gave her the piece, and she planted it ;
and a bush with sweet berries grew up, with little birds
singing on it, singing songs fit for kings and peasants.

Now Ivan Tsarevich had heard of Marya Tsarevna,
went to her stepmother, laid a bowl on the table, and
said : " Whichever of the maidens brings me the bowl
fuU of berries, I will marry."

So the mother sent One-eye to get the berries. But
the birds drove her away from the bush and almost
pecked out her one eye ; and so with Two-eyes and
Three-eyes. At last Marya Tsarevna had to go. Marya
Tsarevna took the bowl and gathered the berries, and
the little birds helped her in the task. When she got
home she put the bowl on the table and bowed down to
Ivan Tsarevich. So Ivan Tsarevich took Marya Tsarevna
to be his wife, and they celebrated a merry wedding and
lived a happy life.

But, after a while, Marya Tsarevna bore a son. She
wanted to show him to her father, and, together with

4 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

her husband, went to visit him. Then the stepmother
turned her into a goose, and decked her eldest daughter
as though she were the wife of Ivan Tsarevich. And
Ivan Tsarevich returned home.

The old man, who tended the children, got up early
in the morning, washed himself clean, took the child on
his arm and went out to the field, to the bush in the
field. Grey geese were flying over it.

" Geese, ye grey ones, where is the baby's mother ? "

" In the next flock ! "

Then the next flock came by.

" Geese, ye grey ones, where is the baby's mother ? "

Then the baby's mother came to them, threw off her
feathers, and gave her little child the breast, and began
weeping :

" For this one day I may come, and to-morrow, but
the next day I must fly away over the woods and over
the hills."

The old man went back home, and the boy slept all
day long, until next morning, and did not wake up. The
false wife was angry with lum for taking the child into
the fields where it must be much too cold.

But next morning the old man again got up very early,
washed himself clean, and took the child into the field.
Ivan Tsarevich followed him secretly and hid in the
bush. Then the grey geese began soaring by.

" Geese, ye grey ones, where is the baby's mother ? "

" In the next flock ! "

Then the next flock came by.

" Geese, ye grey ones, where is the baby's mother ? "

Then the baby's mother came to them, threw off her
feathers, and gave her little child the breast, and began
weeping : " For this one day I may come, but to-
morrow I must fly away over the woods and over the
hills."

Then she asked : " What do I smell there ? " and

THE DUN COW 5

wanted to put on her feathers again, but could not find
them anywhere.

Ivan Tsarevich had burnt them. He seized hold of
Marya Tsarevna, but she turned first into a frog, then
into a lizard, and into all sorts of insects, and last of all
into a spindle. Ivan Tsarevich took the spindle and
broke it in halves, threw the dull end behind him and
the sharp one in front ; and his beautiful young wife
stood in front of him, and they went home.

Then the daughter of the witch cried out : " The
destroyer and the wicked woman have come."

But Ivan Tsarevich assembled all the Princes and the
boydrs, and he asked them : " With which wife shall
I live ? "

They said : " With the first."

But he answered, " My lords, whichever wife leaps
quickest to the door shall remain with me."

So the witch's daughter climbed up at once, but
Marya Tsarevna clung on. Then Ivan Tsarevich took
his gun and shot the substitute wife, and lived happy
ever after with Marya Tsarevna.

A TALE OF THE DEAD

One day a peasant was going by night with pots on his
head. He journeyed on and on, and his horse became
tired and came to a spot in front of God's acre. The
peasant ungirded the horse, set it to graze, but he could
not get any sleep. He lay down and lay down, suddenly
the grave began opening under him, and he felt it and
leaped to his feet. Then the grave opened and the corpse
with the coffin lid got out, with his white shroud on;
got out and ran up to the church door, laid the coffin
lid at the gate and-himself went into the village.

Now this peasant was a bold fellow : so he took the
coffin lid and set it by his telega, and went to see what
would come of it. Very soon the corpse came back,
looked about him and could not find the coffin lid any-
where, and began to hunt for it. And at last he came up
to the peasant, and said, " Give me my coffin lid, or else
I will smash you to atoms."

" What are you bragging for ? " answered the peasant,
" I wiU break you up into httle bits."

" Do, please, give it me, dear good' man," asked the
corpse.

" Well, I will give it you if you will teU me where you
have been and what you have done."

" Oh, I have been in the village, and I there slew two
young lads I "

" Well, tell me how to revive them."

The corpse had no choice, so he answered, " Cut off
the left lappet from my shroud and take it with you.
When you come to the house where the lads have died,

6

A TALE OF THE DEAD 7

scatter hot sparks into a pot and put the piece of my
shirt there, then close the door and at the breath of it
they will revive at once."

So the peasant cut off the left lappet from the shroud
and gave him back the coffin lid. Then the dead man
went back into the grave and laid himself down in it.
Then the cocks crowed and he could not lock it down
properly : one corner of the coffin lid would perk up-
wards. The peasant noticed all this. Day was breaking,
so he yoked his horse and went into the village.

In a certain house he could hear the sound of lamenta-
tion and cries of grief : he went in there, and two youths
lay dead. " Do not weep : I can revive them."

" Do revive them, kinsman : half oi our goods we
will give you," said the relations.

So the peasant did as the corpse had told him, and the
lads revived. The parents were delighted, and they
seized hold of the peasant, and they pinioned him with
ropes. " Now, doctor, we are going to take you up to
the authorities: if you can revive them it must be you
who killed them ! "

" What, good Christians ! Have some fear for God ! "
the peasant shrieked : and he told what he had seen at
night.

Soon the news spread through the village, and the
people assembled and rushed up to the cemetery, looked
at the grave out of which the corps'e had come, tore it
up and dug into the dead man's heart an oaken stake, so
that he should never rise up and kill folks. And they
rewarded the peasant greatly and led him home with
honour.

A TALE OF THE DEAD

Once a carpenter was going home late at night from
a strange village : he had been at a jolly feast at a friend's
house. As he came back an old friend met him who
had died some ten years before.

" How do you do ? "

" How do you do ? " said the walker, and he forgot
that his friend had long ago taken the long road.

" Come along with me : let us have a cup together
once more."

" Let us go."

" I am so glad to have met you again, let us toast the
occasion."

So they went into an izbd,^ and they had a drink
and a talk. " Well, good-bye ; time I went home ! "

" Stay, where are you going ? Come and stay the
night with me."

" No, brother, do not ask me : it is no good. I have
business at home to-morrow and must be there early."

" WeU, good-bye."

" But why should you go on foot ? Better come on
my horse, and he will gallop along gaily."

"Thank you very much."

So he sat on the horse, and the horse galloped away
like a whirlwind.

Suddenly the cock crowed : it was a very terrible
sight ! Graves all around, and under the wayfarer a
gravestone !

1 Hut.

A TALE OF THE DEAD

They had discharged the soldier home, and he was
going on his road, it may be far, it may be a short way,
and he at last was nearing his village. Not far from his
village there lived a miller in his mill : in past times the
soldier had been great friends with him.

Why should he not go and see his friend ? So he
went.

And the miller met him, greeted him kindly, brought
a glass of wine, and they began speaking of all they had
lived through and seen. This was towards the evening,
and whilst the soldier was the miller's guest it had
become dark. So the soldier got ready, to go into the
village.

But the miller said to him, " Soldier, stay the night
with me : it is late and you might come by some mis-
hap."

" What f "

" A terrible sorcerer has died, and at night he rises
out of the grave, ranges about the village and terrifies
the boldest : why, he might give you trouble."

What was the use of it ? Why, the soldier was a
State servant, and a soldier cannot be drowned in the
sea, nor be burned in the fire ! So he answered, " I will
go, for I should like to see my relatives as soon as I Can."

So he set out ; and the road crossed a grave-yard.
As he looked he saw a glow on one grave. " What is it ? "
he said ; " I must look at this." So he went up, and
beside a fire there sat the sorcerer, sewing shoes. " Hail,
brother ! " said the soldier.

lo RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the wizard looked, and asked, "What are you
doing here ? "

" I only wanted to see what you are up to."

So the wizard threw down his work, and he invited
the soldier to a wedding. " Let us go, brother, let us
have a walk: there is a wedding now going on in the
village."

" Very well," said the soldier.

So they went to the wedding, and were royally feasted
and given to eat and drink.

The wizard drank and drank, walked about and
walked about, and grew angry, drove all the guests and
the family out of the izbd,^ scattered all the wedding
guests, took out two bladders and an awl, pricked the
hands of the bride and bridegroom and drew their
blood, filling the bladders with the blood. He did this
and said to the' soldier, " Now we will leave the house."

On the road the soldier asked him, " TeU me, why
did you fill the bladders with the blood ? "

" So that the bride and bridegroom might die. To-
morrow nobody will be able to wake them up : I only
know one means of reviving them."

" What is that ? "

" You must pierce the heels of the bride and bride-,
groom and pour the blood again into the wounds, their
own blood into each. In my right pocket I have the
bridegroom's blood hidden, and in my left, the bride's."

So the soldier listened and never said a single word.

But the wizard went on boasting. " I, you know,
carry out whatever I desire."

" Can you be overcome ? "

" Yes, certainly : if any one were to make a pile of
aspen wood, one hundred cartloads in aU, and to burn
me on the pile, it can be done ; then I should be over-
come. Only you must burn me in a cunning way. Out

1 Hut.

A TALE OF THE DEAD ii

of my belly snakes, worms and all sorts of reptiles will
creep ; jackdaws, magpies and crows will fly : you must
catch them and throw them on the pile. If a single
worm escapes, it will be no good, for I shall creep out into
that worm."

So the soldier listened and remembered. So they had
a long talk, and at last they came to the grave.

" Now, my brother," said the wizard, " I am going to
tear you to bits ? otherwise you will tell the tale ! "

" Now ! Let's argue this out ! How are you going
to tear me to bits ; I am a servant of God and the
Tsar ! "

So the wizard gnashed his teeth, howled, and threw
himself on the soldier. But he drew out his sabre and
dealt a backstroke. They tussled and struggled, and the
soldier was almost exhausted. Ho, but this is a sorry
ending ! Then the cocks crowed and the wizard fell
down breathless.

The soldier got the bladders out of the wizard's
pockets, and went to his relations. He went in and he
greeted them. And they asked him, " Have you ever
seen such a fearful stir ? "

" No, I never have ! "

" Why, have you not heard ? There is a curse on
our village : a wizard haunts it."

So they lay down and went to sleep.

In the morning the soldier rose and began asking :
" Is it true that there was a wedding celebrated here ? "

So his kin answered him, " There was a wedding at
the rich peasant's house, only the bride and bridegroom
died that same night. No, we don't know at all of what
they died."

" Where is the house ? "

So they showed him, and he said never a word, and
went there, got there, and found the whole family in
tears.

12 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" What are you wailing for f "

So they told him the reason.

" I can revive the bridal couple : what will you give
me ? "

" Oh, you may take half of our possessions."

So the soldier did as the wizard had bidden him,
and he revived the bride and bridegroom, and grief was
turned to joy and merriment.

They feasted the soldier and rewarded him.

So he then turned sharp to the left and marched up
to the stdrosta} and bade him assemble all the peasants
and prepare one hundred cartloads of aspen boughs.
Then they brought the boughs into the cemetery, put
them into a pile and raised the wizard out of the grave,
put him on the faggots and burned him. And then all
the people stood around, some with brushes, shovels and
pokers. The pile Ht up gaily and the wizard began to
burn. His belly burst, and out of it crept snakes, worms
and vermin of all sorts, and there flew jackdaws and
magpies. But the peasants beat them aU into the fire
as they came out, and did not let a single worm escape.
So the wizard was burned, and the soldier collected his
dust and scattered it to the four winds. Henceforth
there was peace in the village.

And the peasants thanked the soldier.

He stayed in his country, stayed there until he was
satisfied, and then with his money returned to the
imperial service : he served his term, went on the re-
tired list, and then lived out his life, living happily,
loving the good things and shunning the iU.

* The Mayor.

THE BEAR, THE DOG, AND THE CAT

Once there lived a peasant who had a good dog, and as
the dog grew old it left off barking and guarding the
yard and the storehouses : its master would no longer
nourish it, so the dog went into the wood and lay under
a tree to die.

Then a bear came up and asked him, *' Hello, Dog,
why are you lying here i "

" I have come to die of hunger. Yqu see how unjust
people are. As long as you have any strength, they feed
you and give you drink ; but when your strength dies
away and you become old they drive you from the
courtyard."

" Well, Dog, would you like something to eat ? "

" I certainly should."

" Well, come with me ; I will feed you."

So they went on.

On the way a foal met them.

" Look at me," said the bear, and he began to claw
the ground with his paws, ■* Dog, O dog ! "

" What do you want I "

" Look, are my eyes beautiful ? "

" Yes, Bear, they are beautiful,"

So the bear began clawing at the ground more savagely
still. " Dog, O dog, is my hair dishevelled ? "

" It is dishevelled. Bear."

" Dog, O dog, is my tail raised ? "

" Yes, it is raised."

Then the bear laid hold of the foal by the tail, and
the foal fell to the ground. The bear tore her to pieces

'3

14 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

and said, " Well, Dog, eat as much as you will, and when
everything is in order, come and see me."

So the dog lived by himself and had no cares, and
when he had eaten all and was again hungry, he ran up
to the bear.

" Well, my brother, have you done ? "

" Yes, I have done, and again I am hungry."

" What ! Are you hungry again ? Do you know
where your old mistress lives ? "

"I do."

" Well, then, come ; I will steal your mistress's child
out of the cradle, and do you chase me away and take
the child back. Then you may go back ; she wiU go on
feeding you, as she formerly did, with bread."

So they agreed, and the bear ran up to the hut himself
and stole the child out of the cradle : the child cried,
and the woman burst out, hunted him, hunted him, but
could not catch him ; so they came back, and the mother
wept, and the other women were afflicted ; from some-
where or other the dog appeared, and he drove the bear
away, took the child and brought it back.

" Look," said the woman, " here is your old dog
restoring your child ! " So they ran to meet him, and
the mother was very glad and joyous. " Now," she said,
" I shall never discharge this old dog any more." So
they took him in, fed him with milk, gave him bread, and
asked him only to taste the things. And they told the
peasant, " Now you must keep and feed the dog, for he
saved my child from the bear ; and you were saying he
had no strength ! "

This all suited the dog very well, and he ate his fiU,
and he said, " May God grant health to the bear who
did not let me die of hunger ! " and he became the bear's
best friend.

Once there was an evening party given at the peasant's
house. At that time the bear came in as the dog's guest.

THE BEAR, THE DOG, AND THE CAT 15

" Hail, Dog, with what luck are you meeting ? Is it
bread you are eating ? "

" Praise be to God," answered the dog, " it is no mere
living, it is butter week. And what are you doing ? Let
us go into the izbd.^ The masters have gone out for a
walk and will not see what you are doing. You come
into the izba and go and hide under the stove as fast as
you can. I will await you there and will recall you."

" Very well."

And so they went into the izbd. The dog saw that
his master's guests had drunk too much, and made ready
to receive his friend. The bear drank up one glass, then
another, and broke it. The guests began singing songs,
and the bear wanted to chime in. But the dog per-
suaded him : " Do not sing, it would only do harm."
But it was no good, for he could not keep the bear silent,
and he began singing his song. Then the guests heard
the noise, laid hold of a stick and began to beat him.
He burst out and ran away, and just got away with his
life.

Now the peasant also had a cat, which had ceased
catching mice, and even playing tricks. Wherever it
might crawl it would break something or spill something.
The peasant chased the cat out of the house. But the
dog saw that it was going to a miserable life without any
food, and secretly began bringing it bread and butter
and feeding it. Then the mistress looked on, and as
soon as she saw this she began beating the dog, beat it
hard, very hard, and saying all the time, " Give the cat
no beef, nor bread."

Then, three days later, the dog went to the courtyard
and saw that the cat was dying of starvation. " What
is the matter ? " he said.

" I am dying of starvation : I was able to have enough
whilst you were feeding me."

' Hut.

i6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Come with me."

So they went away. The dog went on, until he
saw a drove of horses, and he began to scratch the earth
with his paws and asked the cat, " Cat, O cat, are my
eyes beautiful ? "

" No, they are not beautiful."

" Say that they are beautiful ! "

So the cat said, " They are beautiful."

" Cat, O cat, is my fur dishevelled ? "

*' N(;) it is not dishevelled."

" Say, you idiot, that it is dishevelled."

" WeU, it is disheveUed."

'* Cat, cat, is my tail raised ? "

" No, it is not raised."

'* Say, you fool, that it is raised." Then the dog
made a dash at a mare, but the mare kicked him back,
and the dog died.

So the cat said, " Now I can see that his eyes are very
red, and his fur is dishevelled, and his tail is raised.
Good-bye, brother Dog, I will go home to die."

EGORI THE BRAVE AND THE GIPSY

In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there was a
gipsy who had a wife and seven children, and he lived
so poorly that ^t last there was nothing in the house to
eat or to drink — ^not even a crust of bread. He was too
idle to work, and too much of a coward to thieve. So
what could he do ?

Well, the peasant went on the road and stood ponder-
ing. At this time Egori the Brave was passing by.

" Hail ! " said the peasant. " Whither are you
faring ?. "

" To God."

" Why ? "

" With a message from men wherewith each man
should live, and wherewith each man should busy him-
self."

" Will you, then, send in a report about me to the
Lord ? " the peasant said, " what He wishes me to
engage in ? "

" Very well — I will hand in a report," Egori said, and
he went on his road.

So there the peasant stood, waiting for him — ^waiting.
And when at last he saw Egori on his way back, he asked
him at once : " Did you hand in a report about me ? "

" No," said Egori ; " I forgot."

So the peasant set out on his road a second time, and
he again met Egori, who was going to God on an errand.
So the gipsy asked him once more : " Do please hand in
a request on my behalf."

" All right," said Egori. And he forgot again,
c 17

1 8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

And so once more the peasant set out on the road,
and once more met Egori. And he asked him for the
third time : " Do please speak on my behalf to God ! "

" Yes— aU right ! "

" Will you forget again ? "

" No, I shall not forget this time."

Only the gipsy did not believe him. " Give me," he
said, " your golden stirrup. I vs^iU keep it until you come
back ; otherwise, you may once more forget."

Egori untied his golden stirrup, gave it to the gipsy,
and rode on farther with a single stirrup. Then he
reached God, and he began to ask wherewith each man
should live, and wherewith each man should busy him-
self. In each case he received the right order, and he
was starting back. But as soon as ever he mounted, he
glanced down at the stirrup and recollected the gipsy.
So he ran back to see God and said : " Oh, I forgot.
Whilst I was coming here I met a gipsy on the way, and
he asked me what he should do." " Oh, teU the gipsy,"
the Lord said, " that his trade is from whomsoever he
take and steal, he, then, shall cheat and perjure himself."

So Egori went and mounted his horse, came up to the
gipsy, and told him : " I shall now teU you the truth. If
you had not taken the stirrup, I should have forgotten
all about it."

" I thought as much," said the gipsy. " Now, for all
eternity, you cannot forget me if you only look down at
your stirrup, and I shall be always in your mind. Well,
what did the Lord say to you ? "

" Oh, He told me from whomsoever you take or steal
you will cheat and perjure yourself ; that wiU be your
trade."

" Thank you very much," said the gipsy, and he
bowed down to the ground, and went home.

" Where are you going ? " said Egori. " Give me my
golden stirrup ! "

EGORI THE BRAVE AND THE GIPSY 19

" What stirrup ? "

" Didn't you take one from me ? "

" How in the world could I take one from you ? This
is the first time I have seen you, and I have not even had
a stirrup. Before God ! — I never have ! " And so the
gipsy perjured himself.

What could he do ? He could struggle and fight it
out, Egori could, and so he did ; but it was all no good.
It is perfectly true, and the gipsy spoke the truth : " If
I had not given him the stirrup ! — if I had not only
known him ! Now I shall forget him no more."

So the gipsy took the golden stirrup and began hawking
it. And as he went on his way, a fine lord came and met
him. " Hullo, gipsy ! " he said. " Will you sell the
stirrup ? "

" Yes— all right ! "

" What will you take ? "

" Fifteen hundred roubles."

" Much too dear, isn't that ? "

" Well, you see, it is all gold."

" Very well ! " said his lordship ; and he put his
hand into his pocket, and he only had a thousand. " You
just take this thousand, gipsy, and then give me the
stirrup : I will send you on the odd five hundred."

" Oh, no, my lord ! One thousand roubles I will cer-
tainly take, but I shall not give up the stirrup. When
you carry out your part of the bargain, then you shall
receive the stirrup." So the lord gave him the thousand,
and he went home.

The very instant he got there he took out five hundred
roubles, and sent his man up to the gipsy, telUng him to
give the money to him and to take the golden stirrup.

When his lordship's groom came to the gipsy's izhd,^
" Hail, gipsy ! " he said. " How fare you, good man ?
I have brought you the money from his lordship."

» Hut.

20 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Well, give it me if you have brought it." So the
gipsy took the five hundred roubles, and gave the man
a glass of wine, and then another, until the man had
his fill.

And when he had had his fill the groom began to make
his way home, and said to the peasant : " Now give me
the golden stirrup."

" What ? "

" Yes — the stirrup which you sold my master."

" What, / sold it ! I never had a golden stirrup ! "

" Well, then, give me the money back."

" What money ? "

" But I just gave you five hundred roubles ! "

" I have not even seen a grivennik^ — ^never in my Hfe !
I looked after you kindly, simply for the sake of our Lord,
and not in the least in order to get any money out of
you." And in this manner the gipsy had disavowed
everything.

When the master had heard of this, he instantly
started out to see the gipsy. " What on earth do you
mean, you vile thief, by taking money and not giving
up the golden stirrup ? "

" What golden stirrup ? Now do, my lord, think a
little. How is it possible for a grey, hoary old peasant
like me to possess a golden stirrup ? "

Then the master became angrier and angrier, but he
could not find it. " Well, we will come to court ! " he
said.

" Oh, please," the gipsy answered, " please think-!
How in the world can I come in your company ? You
are a lord, and I am only a blockhead — I am only a dolt
and a mere hind. At least you might dress me in a fine
costume if we are to go together." So the master dressed
him in his own dress, and they journeyed together to the
town for the case to be tried.

' Ten kopeks.

EGORI THE BRAVE AND THE GIPSY 21

When they came into the town, the master said : " I
bought o£ this peasant a golden stirrup. He took the
money for it and will not deliver the chattel."

And the peasant answered : " My Lords Justices, do
you think it out for yourselves, however could one get a
golden stirrup out of a grey-haired peasant ? Why, I
have not a single loaf at home. And I really cannot
imagine what this fine gentleman wants of me. Why,
he wiU even be saying next that I am wearing his clothes."

" But the dress is mine ! " the master shrieked out.

" There you are, my Lords Justices ! "

After this the case came to an end, and the master
went back home without getting anything, and the pea-
sant went on living merrily — living on and gaining
nothing but good.

DANlLO THE UNFORTUNATE

Good Prince Vladimir had many henchmen and serfs
in the city of Kiev, and amongst them there was Danilo
the Unfortunate, the noble. And on Sundays Prince
Vladimir used to give all his servants goblets fiUed with
wine, but Danilo good hard blows ; and on great feast
days every one was sated, but Danilo had nothing.

On the eve of Easter Sunday Prince Vladimir sum-
moned Danilo the Unfortunate, and he gave him eighty
score of sable skins, and he bade him sew a shuba^ for
the feast : the sable skins were not prepared, and the
buttons had not been moulded, and the buttonholes
had not been made. In the buttons he was bidden
mould the wild beasts of the wood and to sew into the
buttonholes all the seabirds.

Danilo the Unfortunate loathed the task, so he hurled
it away, and he went outside. He went out on his road
and way, and shed tears. An old woman came to meet him.
" Look, Danilo," she said, " do not rend yourself asunder:
why are you crying, Danilo the Unfortunate ? "

" Oh, you old fatty ! " he exclaimed, " shivers and
shakes, quivers and quakes ! Be off ! this has nothing
to do with you ! " Then he went on a little way and
thought, " Why did I bid her remove ? " So he ap-
proached her again and said, " Babushka,^ little dove,
forgive me : this is my trouble. Prince Vladimir has
given me eighty score of sable skins, of which I am to
make a shuba in the morjiing. If only the buttons had
been moulded and the silken buttonholes sewn ! But
' Fur mantle. " Grandmother.

DANlLO THE UNFORTUNATE 23

there are to be lions moulded on to the buttons, and
there are to be shepherds embroidered on to the button-
holes that should have sung and warbled. How am I to
set about it ? It would be better for me to drink vodka
behind the counter,"

Then the old woman, with her patched skirt, said,
" Oh, I am now ' Babushka ' and your ' little dove ' !
Do you go to the border of the blue sea, and stand in
front of the grey oak : at the hour of midnight the blue
sea will boil over and Chiido-Yuda, the Old Man of the
Sea, will come out to you : he has no hands, no feet, and
he has a grey beard. Take hold of him by his beard and
beat him until he asks you, ' Why do you beat me,
Danilo the Unfortunate ? ' Then you are to answer,
' I am beating you for this reason : let me see the
Swan,^ the fair maiden ; let her body glint through her
wings, and through her body let her bones appear, and
from bone to bone let the marrow run like a flowing
string of pearls.' "

Then Danilo the Unfortunate went to the blue sea,
and he stood in front of the dusky oak : and at mid-
night the blue sea was disturbed and Chudo-Yiida, the
Old Man of the Sea, appeared before him. He had no
hands, he had no feet, and his beard was grey. Danilo
seized him by his beard and began to beat him on to
the grey earth. Then at last Chiido-Yuda asked him :
" Why do you beat me, Danilo the Unfortunate ? "
" For this reason : let me see the Swan, the fair maiden ;
let her body glint through her wings, and through her
body let her bones appear, and from bone to bone let
the marrow run like a flowing string of pearls."

Very soon the Swan, the fair maiden, swam up to the
shore, and she spoke in this wise :

" Is it work on your way,
Or for sloth do you stay ? "

• Another variant, " the Fearsome Swan."

24 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Oh, Swan, fair maiden, I have a double task : Prince
Vladimir has Isidden me sew a shuba, and the sables are
not prepared, the buttons are not moulded, and the
buttonholes are not sewn."

" You take me with you, and it will all be done in
time."

Then he began to think in his thoughts, " How shall
I take her with me ? "

" Now, Danilo, what are you thinking ? "

" I must do as you say : I will take you with me."

So she flapped her wings, and she moved her little
head, and said, " Turn to me with your white face ; we
will build for ourselves a princely house. Shake your
locks, that our house may have rooms." Then twelve
youths appeared, all of them carpenters, sawyers, stone-
hewers ; and they set to work, and the house was soon
ready.

Then Danilo took her by her right hand, and he
kissed her on her sweet lips, and he led her into the
princely home. They sat down at a table, ate and drank.
They refreshed themselves, and their hands met at one
table. " Now, Danilo, go to rest and to bed ; think of
nothing else ; it will all be done." So she laid him to
sleep and herself went out to the crystal flight of steps.
And she waved her pinions and she shook her little head :
" My father," she cried, " send me your craftsmen ! "

And the twelve youths appeared and asked, " Swan-
bird, fair maiden, what do you bid us do ? "

" Sew me -this shuba at once : the sables are not pre-
pared, the buttons are not moulded, the buttonholes
are not sewn."

So they set to work : one of them made the sables
ready and sewed the shuba, one of them worked the
forge and moulded the buttons, and one of them sewed
the buttonholes, and in a minute, wondrously, the shuba
was made.

DANlLO THE UNFORTUNATE 25

Then the Swan-bird, the fair maiden, came up and
woke Danilo the Unfortunate : " Arise, my dear friend,
the shuba is ready, and the church-belis are ringing in
the city of Kiev : it is time for you to arise and to pre-
pare for matins."

DanHo arose, put on the shuba, and went : she looked
out of the window, stayed, gave him a silver staff, and
bade him, " When you leave matins, stand on the right
side of the choir as the choir leave, raise your hands and
strike the sable shuba, and the birds will sing joyously
and the lions roar fearsomely. Then take the shuba
from yotir shoulders and array Prince Vladimir at that
instant, lest he forget us. He will then summon you
as a guest, and will give you a glass of wine. Do not
drink the glass to the bottom : if you drink it to the
bottom no good wiU befall you ; and do not boast of
me : do not boast that we built a house together in a
single night."

Danilo took the silver staff and hied away, and she
again stayed him on his course, and she gave him three
little eggs, two of silver, one of gold, and said, " With
the silver eggs give the Easter greeting to the Prince and
the Princess, but the golden one keep and live your life
along with it."

Danilo the Unfortunate bade farewell to her and
went to matins. All the people wondered. " Look
what a fine man Danilo the Unfortunate has become :
he has made the shnba and he has brought it with him
for the feast."

After the Mass, he went up to the Prince and Princess,
and he gave them the Easter greeting, but carelessly
took out the golden egg. Alyosha Popovich saw this, the
Mocker of Women. As they went out of the church,
Danilo the Unfortunate struck himself on the breast
with the silver staff, and the birds sang and the lions
roared ; and all the folk were amazed and gazed at

26 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Danilo. But Alyosha Popovich, the Mocker of Women,
dressed himself as a sorry beggar and asked for holy alms.
They all gave to him ; only Danflo the Unfortunate
alone said and thought, " What shall I give him ? I
have nothing to give." So, as it was Easter Day, he gave
him the golden egg. Alyosha Popovich took that golden
egg and changed into his former garb.

Prince Vladimir summoned them all to him, aU to his
palace to dessert : so they ate and drank and were re-
freshed, and they exalted themselves. Danilo drank
until he was drunk ; and, when he was drunk, made boast
of his wife. Alyosha Popovich bragged at the feast
that he knew Danilo's wife. Bur Danilo said, " If you
know my wife you may cut off my head ; and, if you do
not know her, you shall forfeit your own."

So Alyosha Popovich, the Mocker of Women, went
whither his eyes might go, and he went and wept.

Then the old woman met him on his way and asked,
" Why are you weeping, Alyosha Popovich ? "

" Go away, old woman with the swollen beUy ; I have
naught to do with you."

" Yet I shall be of service to you."

Then he began to ask her, " O my own grandmother,
what did you wish to tell me ? "

" Ha ! am I now your own grandmother ? "

" O, I was boasting I knew Danilo's wife ! "

"O bdtyushka,^ how do you know her: was there
any little bird that told you ? Do you go up to a certain
house and invite her to feast with the Prince. She will
wash herself, busk herself, and put a little chain out of
the window. You take that chain and show it to Danilo
the Unfortunate."

So Alyosha Popovich, the Mocker of Women, went to
the window jamb, and called the Swan-bird, the fair
maiden, to dine with the Prince. She was starting to

' Little Father.

DANILO THE UNFORTUNATE 27

wash herself, busk herself, and make ready for the feast,
and that moment Alyosha Popovich seized her little
chain, ran up into the palace, and showed it to Danilo
the Unfortunate.

So Prince Vladimir said to Danilo the Unfortunate,
" I see now that you must forfeit your head."

" Let me go home and bid farewell to my wife." So
he went home and said, " O fair Swan-maiden, what
have I done ? I became drunk and I bragged of you
and have lost my life."

" I know it all, Danilo the Unfortunate. Go, summon
the Prince and Princess here as your guests, and all the
burghers and generals and field-marshals and boydrs."

" But the Prince will not come out in the mud and the
mire ! " (For the roads were bad, and the blue sea
became stormy ; the marshes surged and opened.)

" You are to tell him : ' Have no fear. Prince Vladimir :
across the rivers have been built hazel-tree bridges, the
transoms are of oak covered with cloth of purple and
with nails of tin. The shoes of the doughty warrior
wiU not be soiled, nor wiU the hoofs of his horse be
smeared.' "

So Danilo the Unfortunate invited them as guests ;
and the Swan-bird, the fair maiden, stepped out to her
window, flapped her wings, shook her little head, and
there was a bridge laid from her house to the palace of
Prince Vladimir. It was covered with cloth of purple,
tacked in with tacks of tin ; and on one side flowers grew,
nightingales sang, and on the other side apple-trees and
fruits bloomed and ripened.

The Prince and Princess made ready to be guests, and
they set out on their journey with all their noble host
with them, crossed the first river, which ran with splendid
beer. And very many soldiers fell down by that beer.
Then they advanced to the second river, \vhich ran with
wonderful mead, and more than half of the brave host

28 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

bent down to drink the mead and rolled on their sides.
So they came to the third river, which ran with glorions
wine. Here all the officers bent down and drank till
they were drunk. At the fourth river powerful vodka
flowed. And the Prince looked backwards : all of his
generals were lying on their backs. Only the Prince was
left with three companions — ^with the Princess, Alyosha
Popovich, the Mocker of Women, and Danilo the Un-
fortunate.

Then the invited guests arrived, and they entered into
the lofty palace : there were tables standing, and the
tablecloths were of siUc, and the chairs painted with
many colours. They sat down at the tables : there were
all sorts of dishes and of foreign drinks. There were
no^ bottles, no mere pints — entire rivers flowed ! Prince
Vladimir and the Princess drank nothing, tasted nothing,
only looked on. When would the Swan, the fair maiden,
come out ? And they sat long at the table, waited for
her long, until it was time to go home. Danilo the
Unfortunate called her once, and twice, and a third
time, but she would not come and see her guests.

Alyosha Popovich, the Mocker of Women, then said,
" If this had been my wife I should have taught her to
obey ! "

Then the Swan-bird, the fair maiden, came out and
stood at the window, and she said these words : " This
is how we teach our husbands ! " And so she flapped
hfer wings, moved her little head, and flew about : and
there the guests sat on mounds in the bog.

One way the waters tossed,

On the other lay woe,
On the third side naught but moss,

On the fourth side— Oh !

" Get up, Prince, and avaunt ! Let Danilo sit at the
head of the tabfe."

DANILO THE UNFORTUNATE 29

So they went back all the way to their palace, and they
were covered with mud from head to foot.

I myself then should have liked to see the Prince and
Princess ; and they were just poking their heads out of
the door, but, whilst it was opening, I slipped and fell
down flat.

THE SORRY DRUNKARD

Once there lived an old man, and he was such a sorry-
drunkard as words cannot describe. He used to go to
the drinking-booth, drink green wine, and crawl away
home through the hops. And his road lay across a
river.

When he came to the river, he did not dally to think ;
but slipped off his boots, hung them on his head, and
wandered at ease till he came into the middle, stumbled
and fell into the water, and was heard o£ no more.

But he had a son, Ugly Peter, Petrusha. When
Petriisha saw that his father had vanished utterly, he
became melancholy, and wept, had a Requiem Mass
sung for his soul, and began to adminster the property.

One day, on a Sunday, he went to church to pray to
God. As he was going on his way, in front of him there
was a woman crawling along, going slowly, slowly,
stumbling on the reeds, and scolding hard : " What the
devil knocks you against me ! "

Petrusha heard her ugly language, and said : " Good-
day, Auntie ; where are you going ? "

" I am off to church. Gossip, to pray to God."

" But is not it very sinful of you, going to church to
pray to God, and then invoking the Unholy Spirit ?
You stumbled, and then invoked the devil ! "

Well, he went on, and he heard Mass, and went on
and on ; and suddenly, from somewhere or other, there
stood in front of him a fine youth who bowed down to
him and said : " Thank you, Petrusha, for your good
word."

30

THE SORRY DRUNKARD 31

" What are you ? Why do you thank me ? " Petriisha
asked.

" Oh, I am the Devil, and I am thanking you because
when the old woman was stumbling along and barking
at me uselessly, you put in a good word for me." And
he began to beseech him : " Do come, Petriisha, and be
my guest, and I wiU give you a reward — gold and silver
— ^ali you wish."

" All right ! " said Petrusha ; " I will come."

And the Devil gave him his directions, and instantly
vanished, and Petrusha went back home.

Next day Petrusha went to pay a visit to the Devil —
went on and went on for three whole days ; and he got
into a deep wood — into the dreary and darksome forest
where he could not see the sky. And in that forest
there stood a rich palace ; and when he came to the
palace, a fair maiden saw him. She had been stolen from
a village by the Unholy Spirit. She saw him and asked :
" Why have you come here, doughty youth ? Here the
devils live, and they will tear you to tatters."

Petrusha told her how and why he had come to this
palace.

" Well, look you to it," the fair maiden said ; " the
devils are going to give you gold and silver — do not take
any of it. Only ask them to give you the sorry horse
on which the unholy spirits load their fuel and water.
This horse is your father. When he got drunk and
fell into the water, the devils instantly got hold of
him, turned him into a horse, and now he serves as
the beast of burden to carry their wood and water for
them."

Then that same youth came forward who had invited
Petrusha to pay him a visit, and he began to entertain
him with all sorts of sweetmeats and drinks. Then the
time came for Petriisha's departure home.

" As a parting gift," the Devil said to him, " I will

32 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

give you money, and a splendid horse, and you shall ride
home royally."

" This is o£ no use to me," Petriisha answered. " But
if you will give me anything, give me that sorry jade —
that battered jade which carries your wood and water."

" Whatever use is that sorry nag to you ? Why, you
will hardly get home on it ! Why, it tumbles down if
you look at it ! "

" I don't mind about that ; give it to me ; it is the
only thing I will take."

So the devils gave him the sorry jade. Petrusha took
it and led it out to the entrance. As soon as he was at
the outside, he met the fair maiden, who asked : " Have
you got the horse ? "

" Yes, I have."

"Then, fair youth, when you arrive at your village,
take the cross off from your neck and pass it round the
horse three times, and then hang the cross on its head."

Petrusha bowed down to her, and set on his way ;
and he arrived at his village, and did all the maiden had
commanded : took his copper cross from his neck,
passed it three times round the horse, and hung the cross
on its head. And all at once it was the horse no longer ;
but, instead, became his own father.

The son looked at the father, shed hot tears, and took
him into his own izbd.^ The old man lived for three
days without speaking, and could not unseal his tongue.
After that, they lived on in all good luck and happiness.

The old man altogether forsook being drunk ; and to
his last day not a drop of wine passed his lips.

> Hut,

THE WOLF AND THE TAILOR

This story is a story of the past — o£ the days when Christ
and the Twelve Apostles still walked on earth. ^

One day they were still on their road, going on a long,
long road, and a wolf met them and said : " Lord, I am
feeling hungry."

" Go," Christ said to him, " and eat a mare."

So the wolf went to look for a mare.

And he saw her going up a-nd down, and said : " Mare,
the Lord has bidden me eat you ! "

So she answered : " Well, please do not eat me — ^it is
not the proper thing. But I have a passport on me ;
only it is driven in very hard."

" Well, show it me."

" Just come near my hind feet ! "

So the wolf went up, and she kicked him with her
hoofs, and knocked out his front teeth, so that the
wolf was thrown, at a blow, three sazhens'^ away, and the
mare ran off.

Back the wolf came with a petition, met Christ, and
said : " Lord, the mare almost killed me ! "

" Well, go on and eat the ram."

So the wolf ran up to the ram — ^ran up and said :
" Ram, I am going to eat you — :it is the command of the
Lord."

*' Well, come and eat me up if you will. I will stand

' This is a simple instance of the pr'iskazha or preface to a story,
«JA sazhin is seven feet,

P 33

34 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

on the hill, and will jump up into your mouth all
ready."

So the wolf stood on the hill, and the ram told him to
open his mouth. So the wolf went and stood on the
hiU and opened his mouth for the food, and the ram
ran down and hit him hard with the horns on his fore-
head — zvhack ! The wolf was knocked off his feet, and
the ram went away. And the wolf got up, looked all
round, and there was never a sign of the ram.

So he went up with another complaint. And he found
Christ and said : " Lord, even the ram has deceived me.
Why, it almost knocked me to bits."

" All right ! " said Christ, " go and eat the tailor."

So the wolf ran up, and he met a tailor on the way.
" Tailor," he said, " I am going to eat you, by command
of the Lord."

" All right. Let me say good-bye — I should like to
gteet my kin."

" No, I cannot let you say good-bye with your kin."

" Well, I cannot help it — ^it must be so. Come and
eat me up. Only at least let me take your measurements.
I only want to see whether I shall slip in easily."

" AU right ! — ^measure away," said the wolf.

So the tailor went back, took hold of the wolf by his
tail, twined his tail round in his hand, and began to
whip the wolf. And the wolf struggled and tussled,
roared and shrieked, and tore until he tore his tail loose,
and he then took to his feet. So he ran away with all of
his might, and he met seven other wolves. They said :
" Why are you, grey wolf, taiUess ? "

" Oh, the tailor tore it out."

" Where is the tailor ? "

" You see him there, on the road."

" All right — ^we will hunt after him." And they
started after the tailor.

When the tailor heard the chase coming after him,

THE WOLF AND THE TAILOR 35

■' and saw that it was a disagreeable business, he scaled up
a tree as fast as he could. So the wolves arrived there
and said : " We will stop here, brothers, and wait until
the tailor comes down. Do 70U, manx-wolf, stop below,
and we will each of us climb on the other's shoulders."
So the manx-wolf lay at the bottom, and aU the seven
wolves went after the others and climbed up.

When the tailor saw his iU-fate coming so near him,
for they were nearer and nearer, he cried out to the top
one : " It is nobody's fault, only the manx-wolf's ! "
So the manx-wolf was frightened, and jumped out from
below and ran off. All the seven wolves tumbled down
and chased after him, caught him up, and tore him to
bits. But the tailor slid down the tree and went back
home.

THE TALE OF THE SILVER SAUCER AND
THE CRYSTAL APPLE

Once a peasant lived with his wife, and they had three
daughters^ two were finely dressed and clever, but the
third was a simple girl ; the sisters and the father and
mother as well called her the Little Fool. They hustled
the Little Fool, thrust her about this way and that and
forced her to work. She never said a word and was
always ready to weed the grass, break off lamp-splinters,
feed the cows and ducks, and whatever anybody asked
for the Little Fool would bring. They had only to say,
" Fool, go and fetch this ! " or " Fool, come and look
here ! "

One day the peasant went with his hay to the fair,
and he asked his daughters, " What shall I bring you
as your fairing ? "

One daughter asked, " Buy me some red cloth for a
sarafan. The other asked, " Buy me some scarlet
nankin." But the Fool sat stiU and said nothing.

Well, after all, the Fool was his daughter, and her
father felt sorry for her, so he asked her, " What would
you like to have, Fool ? "

So the Fool smiled and said, " Buy me, my own father,
a silver saucer and a crystal apple."

" What do you mean ? " asked the sisters.

" I should then roll the apple on the saucer, and
should speak words which an old woman taught me in
return for my giving her a loaf of white bread." So
the peasant promised, and went away.

Whether he went far or near, whether he took long or

36

SILVER SAUCER AND CRYSTAL APPLE 57

short, anyhow he went to the fair, sold his hay, bought
the fairings, gave his one daughter the scarlet nankin,
the other the red cloth for. a sarafan and the Fool a
silver saucer and a crystal apple. He came back home
and he showed them. Both sisters were overjoyed,
sewed sarafans, and mocked the Fool, and waited to
see what she would do with her silver saucer and crystal
apple. But the Fool did not eat the apple, but sat in a
corner and whispered, " Roll, roll, roll, little apple, on
the silver saucer, and show me all the cities and the fields,
all the woods and the seas, and the heights of the hills
and the fairness of heaven."

Then the apple rolled about on the saucer; a trans-
parency came over the silver ; and, on the saucer, aU the
cities, one after the other, became visible, all the ships on
the seas, and the regiments in the fields, and the heights
of the mountains, and the beauties of the sky. Sunset
appeared after sunset and the stars gathered in their
nocturnal dances,: it was all so beautiful and so lovely
as no tale can tell and no pen can write.

Then the sisters looked on and they became envious
and wanted to take the saucer away from their sister,
but she would not exchange her saucer for anything
else in the world. So the evil sisters walked about, called
out and began to talk. " Oh, my darling sisters, let us
go into the wood and pick berries and look for wild
strawberries ! " So the Fool gave her saucer to her
father and herself went into the wood. She wandered
about with her sisters, plucked the strawberries, and
saw a spade lying on the grass ; then the other sisters
took the spade and began beating the Fool with it, slew
the Fool, buried her under a silver birch, and came back
to their father late at night, saying, " The Little Fool
ran away from us, we could not find her, we went all
over the wood searching for her. We suppose the
wolves must have eaten her up." But the father was

38 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

sorry. She was a Fool, but she was his daughter after
all, and so the peasant wept for his daughter, took the
silver saucer and the apple, put them into a coffer and
locked them up. And the sisters also wept for her.

Soon a herd came by and the trumpet sounded at
dawn. But the shepherd was taking his flock, and at
dawn he sounded his trumpet and went into the wood
to look for a little lamb. He saw a little hummock
beside a silver birch, and on it all around ruby-red and
azure flowers, and bulrushes standing above the flowers.
So the young shepherd broke a bulrush, made a pipe of
it, and a wonderful wonder happened, a marvellous
marvel: the pipe began of itself to sing and to speak.
" Play on, play on, my little pipe. Console my father,
console my guiding light, my father, and tell my mother
of me, and my sisters, the little doves. For they killed
me, the poor one, and for a silver saucer have severed
me from light, all for my enchanted apple."

People heard and ran together, the entire village
thronged round the shepherd, asked him who had been
slain. There was no end to the question. " Good folks
all," said the shepherd, " I do not know anything about
it. I was looking for a little sheep in the wood, and I
saw a knoU, on the knoU flowers, and a bulrush over the
knoll. I broke off a bulrush, carved myself a pipe out
of it, and the pipe began singing and speaking of itself."

Now it so happened that the father of the Little
Fool was there, heard the words of the shepherd, wanted
to lay hold of the pipe, when the pipe began singing,
" Play on, play on, little pipe : this is my father ; con-
sole him with my mother. My poor little self they
slew, they withdrew from the white world, all for the
sake of my silver vessel and crystal apple."

" Lead us, shepherd," said the father, " where you
broke off the bulrush." So they followed the shepherd
into the wood and to the knoll, and they were amazed

SILVER SAUCER AND CRYSTAL APPLE 39

at the beautiful flowers, ruby-red, sky-blue, that grew
there.

Then they began to dig up the knoll and discovered
the dead body. The father clasped his hands, groaned
as he recognised his unfortunate daughter, saw her lying
there slain, not knowing by whom she had been buried.
And all the good folks asked who had been the slayers,
who had been the murderers. Then the pipe began play-
ing and speaking of itself. " O my light, my father, my
sisters called me to the wood : they killed me here to
get my saucer, my silver saucer, and my crystal apple.
You cannot raise me from my heavy sleep till you get
water from the Tsar's well."

The two envious sisters trembled, paled, and their
soul was in flames. They acknowledged their guilt.
They were seized, bound, locked up in a dark vault at
the Tsar's pleasure. But the father set out on his way
to the capital city. The road was long or short. At last
he reached the town and came up to the palace. The
Tsar, the little sun, was coming down the golden stair-
case. The old man bowed down to the earth and asked
for the Tsar's mercy. Then the Tsar, the hope, said,
" Take the water of life from the Tsar's well. When
your daughter revives, bring her here with the saucer,
the apple, and the evil-doing sisters."

The old man was overjoyed, bowed down to earth
and took the phial with the living water, ran into the
wood to the flowery knoll, and took up the body. As
soon as ever he sprinkled it with the water his daughter
sprang up in front of him alive, and hung like a dove
upon her father's neck. All the people gathered together
and wept. The old man went to the capital city. He
was taken into the Tsar's rooms. The Tsar, the little
sun, appeared, saw the old man with his three daughters,
two tied by the hands, and the third daughter like a
spring flower, the light of Paradise in her eyes, with the

40 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

dawn on her face, tears flowing in her eyes, falling like
pearls.

The Tsar looked and was amazed, and was wroth with
the wicked sisters. He asked the fair maiden, " Where
are your saucer and the crystal apple ? "

Then she took the little coffer out of her father's
hands, took out the apple and the saucer, and herself
asked the Tsar, " What do you want to see, O Tsar my
Emperor ? Would you like to see your powerful cities,
your valorous hosts, your ships on the sea, or the wonder-
ful stars of the sky ? " And she let the crystal apple
roll about on the silver saucer, and on the saucer one after
the other all the towns appeared in their shape ; all the
regiments with their banners and their arquebuses
standing in warlike array, the leaders in front of the
lines arid the colonels in front of the platoons and the
sergeants in front of their companies. And the guns
fired and the shots flew, and the smoke wreathed and
writhed : it was all visible to the eye. Then again the
apple rolled about on the saucer, the crystal on the silver,
and the sea could be seen billowing on the shore, and
the ships swimming like swans, flags flying, issuing from
the stern, and the noise of guns and cannon-smoke
arriving like wreaths, all visible to the eye. Then again
the apple rolled on the saucer, the crystal on the silver,
and the sky was red on the saucer, and little sun after
little sun made its round, and the stars gathered on their
dance. The Tsar was amazed at this wonder.

But the fair maiden was lost in tears and fell down at
the Tsar's feet and begged for mercy, saying, " Tsar,
your Majesty," she said, " take my silver saucer and
crystal apple if you will only forgive my sisters, and do
not destroy them for my sake."

And the Tsar was melted by her tears and pardoned
them at her request. She for sheer joy shouted out and
fell upon her sisters. The Tsar looked round, was

SILVER SAUCER AND CRYSTAL APPLE 41

amazed, took the fair maiden by the hand, said to her in
a kindly voice, " I must for your goodness love your
beauty : will you be my wife and the Tsaritsa of my
fair realm ? "

" Tsar, your Majesty," answered the fair maiden,
" it is your imperial will, but it is the father's wiU which
is law amongst the daughters, and the blessing of their
mother. If my father will, if my mother will bless me,
I wiU."

Then the father bowed down to earth, and he sent
for the mother, and the mother blessed her.

" Yet I have one word more for you," said the fair
maiden to the Tsar : " Do not separate my kin from
me, let my mother and my father and my sisters remain
with me."

Then the sisters bowed down to her feet, and said,
" We are not worthy ! "

" It has all been forgotten, my beloved sisters," she
said to them ; "ye are my kin, ye are not strangers. He
who bears in mind an ill bygone has lost his sight."
And as she said this, she smiled and raised her sisters up.

And her sisters wept from sheer emotion, as the rivers
flow, and would not rise from the ground.

Then the Tsar bade them rise and looked on them
kindly, bidding them remain in the city.

There was a feast in the palace : the front steps
ghttered and glowed as though with flame, like the sun
enwreathed in his beams. The Tsar and the Tsaritsa
sat on a chariot, and the earth trembled, and the people
ran up crying out, " Long live the Tsar and Tsaritsa ! "

THE FOUNDLING PRINCE

Once upon a time there was a Tsar and Tsaritsa who
had only one son. The Tsar one day had to leave home,
and in his absence a disaster befell them ; the Tsarevich
disappeared. They searched and searched for the
Tsarevich, dragging the ponds. Not a breath nor a
sound could be heard of him. So fifteen years went by,
until at last the Tsar received news that in a certain
village a peasant had found a child who was a wonder for
his beauty and his cleverness.

So the Tsar ordered the peasant to be brought to him
as soon as possible : he was brought, and the Tsar began
asking him where he had found the boy. The peasant
explained that he had found him fifteen years ago in a
corn kiln, with strange and rich clothing on him ; and
by every sign he was the Tsar's own son.

So the Tsar told the peasant, " TeU your foundling
that he is to come to me neither naked nor dressed, nor
on foot nor on horseback, neither by day nor by night,
neither in the courtyard nor in the street."

So the peasant went back home, wept and told the
boy. How on earth was it to be done !

But the boy replied, " That is easy enough : I can
guess this riddle."

So he took and undressed himself from head to foot,
put a net on himself, came on a goat, came up to the
Tsar at twilight, and mounted the goat at the gate,
leaving the fore-feet of the goat on the courtyard and
the hind-feet in the street.

When the Tsar saw this, he became convinced and
said, " This must be my son ! "

42

THE SUN AND HOW IT WAS MADE BY
DIVINE WILL

The Sun is thirty times the size it appears : looks very
small because it is very high up from the earth.

The Sun has an apparel and a crown which would
befit a Tsar, and fifteen thousands of angels of the Lord
accompany him and deck him every day. And when
the Sun wanes to the West, then the angels strip off
from him that garb and crown which would befit a
Tsar, and lay it on the throne of the Lord.

Three angels remain with the Sun and make him
ready, and God has consigned one hundred angels to
enrobe the Sun in an apparel and a crown meet for a
Tsar.

And when the Sun arises from the East crossing to
the West, then fiery phoenixes and the Ksdlavy of para-
dise fly in front of the Sun, but first wet their wings in
the waters of the ocean and asperse with their wings
the Sun that he may not sear them with his golden rays.

But from the fire of the Sun the feathers even of these
birds are consumed, because they are scorched away.
And they again bathe in the ocean and are renewed.

For this reason the cock is a prophet, and it has under
its wings a white feather belonging to the other birds.

And when the Sun wanes to the West, then the cock's
feathers warp.

But when the Lord's angels take the dress and the
crown from the throne of the Lord, the cock awakens,
lifts up his voice, flutters with his wings, the first time

43

44 'RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

to announce the resurrection to the world and to tell the
angels of the law ; then to say : " O Christ, Giver of
Light, look down on us and bestow on the world Thy
light " ; and the third time to sing : " Christ is the Life
and accomplishes all things." And thus the cock sings
to the light, magnifies its Creator, and announces joy to
the just. Amen.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS

In a certain city there was a merchant and his wife and
their son, who was wise beyond his years ; he was called
Vasili. Once all three were lunching togetlier, and in
a cage there was a Nightingale singing over the table,
singing so woefully that the merchant could not bear
it, and he said, " If there ever were a man who could
xeaHy teU me what that Nightingale is saying and the
doom he is foreboding, I should lite to meet him : I
would give him in my life half of my possessions, and
after iny death I would bequeath him many goods."

Then the little boy, who was only six years old, looked
his father and mother fixedly in the eyes and said, " I
know what the Nightingale is singing, only I am fright-
ened of saying it."

" Speak out openly," said the mother and father.

Aad then Vasili said with tears, " The Nightingale is
foretelling that a time and season is coming when you
will be my servants, when father will draw me water and
mother will give me the towel to wipe my face and handsJ"

These words made the merchant and his wife very
angry, so they decided to get rid of their child ; they
built a little boat, and in the dark of night, put the
sleeping boy into it and let it sail into the open sea.

Just then the prophetic Nightingale flew out of its
cage into the boat and sat on the boy's shoulder. Then
the boat came to the sea-shore, and a ship came to meet
it with all its sails spread. The master of the ship saw
the boy, pitied him, adopted him, asked him questions,
promised to keep and love him as if he were his own soni

45

46 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Next day the boy said to his new father, " The
Nightingale foretells that a storm is brewing which will
break the masts and shatter the sails. You must go back
to the haven."

But the master of the ship would not go. And a storm
arose at once, and the masts were shattered, and the
sails torn down. It was no good, what is ended cannot
be mended, so new masts were built and new sails were
rigged. And they sailed on further.

Again Vasya said, " The Nightingale sings that there
are twelve ships coming to meet us, all pirate ships, and
they will take us prisoner."

This time the master of the ship believed him, and
returned to the island, and he saw the twelve bold
pirates go sailing by. So the master of the ship waited
as long as need be, and then sailed further.

Some time went by, not too much, not too little, and
the ship arrived at the city of Khvalynsk; and,, for very
many years, in front of the palace of the King of
Khvalynsk, a Crow, with his wife and child, had been
flying and screeching, giving no rest either by day or
night. Whatever they did, whatever gins they might set,
they could not drive them off from the window. Small
shot was not any good. And so that King ordained
that at every cross-road and at aU the harbours this
notice should be exhibited :

" If any man can drive away the Crow, with his
wife and child, from the royal windows, the king
will grant him as a reward half of his kingdom, and

his youngest daughter as wife but if any shall

undertake the work and shall not fulfil it he shall
forfeit his head."

Very many were the hunters eager to become kinsmen
of the King, and all of their heads had been hewn off
and hung on stakes.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS 47

Now Vasili heard o£ this, went up and asked the
master of the ship, " Let me go to the King ; possibly
I can chase away the Crow and his wife."

They endeavoured to deter him, but failed. " Very
well, go. And if you come by any harm, put the blame
on yourself ! "

So Vasili came into the palace, told the King, and
ordered the windows to be opened in front of which the
Crows were flying. He then listened to what the birds
were saying, and told the King, " Your Majesty, you
see that there are three flying here, the Crow, Madam
Crow, and Master Crow : the Crow is disputing with
his wife as to which of them the son belongs, whether
to the father or to the mother ; and they are asking for
a decision. Your Majesty, decide to whom it is the son
belongs."

The King answered, " To the father."

As soon as the King had said this, the Crow with Master
Crow sailed to the right, but Madam Crow to the left.

After this the King took the youth unto himself, and
he lived at the royal court and received the greatest
kindness and honour, grew up and became a youth of
youths, married the Princess, and received half of the
kingdom as a dowry.

One day he thought he would like to journey to
foreign parts and see strange lands, view the folks of the
world, and show himself. So he set out to roam through
the world. In one city he stayed for a night, passed the
night there, got up in the morning and said he wished
to wash. So the master brought him water and the
mistress brought him the towel. The King's son spoke
with them, and then saw that they were his father and
mother, wept for joy, and fell at the feet of his parents.
Afterwards he took them with him to his own city of
Khvalynsk, and they lived together long, and lived to
enjoy good.

bAba yaga and zamoryshek

Once upon a time there lived an old man and his old
wi£e, and they had no children, and what on earth did
they not do to get them ! How did not they beseech
God ! But for all that the wife bore no children. One
day the old man went into the forest to look for mush-
rooms, and an old gaffer met him.

" I know your thoughts. You are thinking of children,"
he said. " Go to the village and coUect one little egg
from every house and put a brood hen over them, and,
what will ensue, you will yourself see."

Now there were forty-one houses in the village. The
old man went and collected the eggs and put a brood
hen over them. Two weeks later he and his wife went
to see, and they found that there were children born of
the eggs, and they looked again and they found that
forty of the children were fine, strong and healthy, and
there was one who was a weakling.

So the old man gave them names. But he had no
name left for the last, so he called him Zamoryshek.^
And these children grew up not by days, but by hours,
and they shot up fast and began to work and to help the
mother and father. The forty of them used to go into
the fields whilst Zamoryshek stayed at home. When
the harvesting season came on the forty began making
the hayricks, and in a single week all the ricks were put
up. So they came back home to the village, lay down,
slept, and ate of the fare God provided.

The old man looked at them and said, " Young and
green, goes far, sleeps sound, and leaves the work undone ! "

' Benjamin,
48

BABA YAGA AND ZAMORYSHEK 49

" You go and see, bdtyushka," ^ said Zamoryshek.

So the old man went into the fields and saw forty-
ricks standing. " Ah, these are fine boys of mine !
Look at all they have harvested in one week ! " Next
day he went out again to gloat on his possessions, and
found one rick was a-missing. He came home and said,
" One rick has vanished."

" Never mind, bdtyushka,''* said Zamoryshek, " we
will catch the thief : give me a hundred roubles, and I
will do the deed."

Then Zamoryshek went to the smith and asked for
a chain big enough to cover a man from head to foot.

And the smith said, " Certainly."

" Very well, then : if the chain hold, I will give you
one hundred roubles ; if it break, your labour's lost."

The smith forged the chain ; Zamoryshek put it
round him, stretched it, and it broke. So the smith
made a second iron chain, Zamoryshek put it round his
body, and it again broke. Then the smith made a third
chain, three times as strong, and Zamoryshek could not
break it.

Zamoryshek then went and sat under the hayrick and
waited. At midnight a sudden storm rose and the sea
raged, and a strange nag rose out of the sea, ran up to
the rick and began to eat it. Zamoryshek bound the
neck round with chains and mounted her. The mare
began to gallop over the valleys and over the hills, and
she reared, but she could not dislodge the rider ; and at
last she stopped and said in a human voice : " Now,
good youth, now you can mount me, you may become
master of my foals." Then she ran under the sea and
neighed, and the sea opened and up ran forty-one foals ;
and they were such fine foals, every single horse was
better than every other horse. You might go round the
entire earth and never see any horses as good.

^ Father.

50 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Next morning the old man heard neighing outside his
door, and wondered what the noise was, and there was
his son Zamoryshek with the entire drove. " Good ! "
he said. " Now, my sons, ye had better go and hunt
for brides." So off they went. The mother and father
blessed them, and the brothers set forth on their distant
way and road.

They rode far in the white world in order to seek their
brides. For they would not marry separately, and what
mother could they find who should boast of having
forty-one daughters ?

And they went across thirteen countries, and they
then saw a steep mountain which they ascended, and
there there stood a white stone palace with high walls
round and iron columns and gates where they counted
forty-one columns. So they tied their knightly horses
to each of the stakes, and they entered.

Then the Baba Yaga met them and said : " O ye
unlooked-for, uninvited guests, how did you dare
without leave to tie your horses to my stakes ? "

" Come, old lady, what are you complaining of ?
First of all give us food and drink, take us into the bath,
and thereafter ask us for our news, and question us."

So the Baba Yaga served them with food and drink,
conducted them to the bath, and then afterwards she
asked them : " Have ye come to do deeds, doughty
youths, or to flee from deeds ? "

" We have come to do deeds, grandmother," they
said.

" What have ye come to seek ? "

" We are seeking brides."

Then she replied, " I have daughters." And she
burst into the lofty rooms and brought out her forty-one
daughters.

They were then betrothed, and began to feast together
and celebrate the marriage.

baba yaga and ZAMORYSHEK 51

When the evening came Zamoryshek went to look at
his horse, and the good horse saw him and spoke with a
human voice. " See to this, my master : when you lie
down with your young wives, dress them in your clothes,
and put on your wives' clothes, otherwise you will all
be kiUed."

Then they all went and lay down, and they all went to
sleep, only Zamoryshek took care to keep his eyes open.

And at midnight Baba Yaga cried out in a loud voice :
" Ho, ye my faithful servants ! Will ye cut off the heads
of my insolent and uninvited guests ? " And so the
servants ran and cut off the daughters' heads.

Zamoryshek roused his brothers and told them what
had happened. So they took the heads with them, put
them on the forty-one stakes, armed themselves and
galloped off.

In the morning the Baba Yaga got up, looked through
her little window, and saw the heads on the stakes. She
was very angry, and she called for her fiery shield, and
leapt out on the chase, and set to waving her fiery shield
in all directions to the four winds.

Whither should the youths betake themselves for
concealment ? In front of them there was the blue sea
and behind them the Baba Yaga. And she burned
everything in front of her with her fiery shield. They
might have had to die, but Zamoryshek was an inventive
youth, and had not forgotten to take Baba Yaga's hand-
kerchief, and he shook the handkerchief in front, and
so built a bridge across all the width of the blue sea, and
the doughty youths crossed the sea safely. Then
Zamoryshek shook the handkerchief on the left-hand
side and the bridge vanished. The Baba Yaga had to
turn back, but the brothers went home safely.

THE MIRACULOUS HEN

Beyond thrice-nine lands, in the thrice-tenth realm —
it was not in our kingdom — once an old man and an old
woman lived in great need and poverty. They had two
sons, who were very young and as yet of no use for field
work. So the old man got up himself, and himself did
all the work ; he went out and looked after the labourers,
and for aU that he could only earn a few pence.

As he was going home one day he met a sorry drunkard,
who had a hen in his hands. " WiU you, old man, buy
my hen ? "

" What do you want for it ? "

" Give me fifty kopeks for it."

" No, brother ; take these few pence — ^that will be
enough for you ; you will get a pint and can drink it
out on your way home and go to sleep."

So the drunkard took the pence and gave the old man
the hen.

Then the old man returned home. But they were
very hungry there ; there was not a crust of bread.
" Here," he said, as he came in, to his wife, " here is a
hen I have bought you."

But his wife turned on him fiercely and scolded him.
" What an old fool you are ! You must have gone
utterly mad : our children are sitting down at home
without any bread, and you buy a hen which you must
feed ! "

" Hold your tongue, foolish woman ; does a hen eat
so much ? Why, she will lay us an egg and will bring us
chicks ; we can sell the chicks and then buy bread."

52

THE MIRACULOUS HEN 53

So the old man made a little nest and he put the hen
under the stove. In the morning he looked, and the hen
had laid a jewel of absolutely natural colours. So the
old man said to his wife, " Now, old lady ; amongst
other folks the hens lay eggs, but our hen lays jewels :
what shall we do ? "

" Take it into the city ; possibly somebody may buy it."

So the old man went into the city, went into all the
inns hy turns and showed his precious stone. All the
merchants gathered round him and began valuing the
stone. They valued it and valued it, and it was at last
bought for five hundred roubles.

From that day the old man went on trading in precious
stones which his hen laid him, and he very soon became
enriched, had himself inscribed into the merchants'
guild, put up a shop, hired apprentices, and set up sea-
faring ships to carry his wares into foreign lands. One
day he was going into foreign parts, and he bade his
wife have a great heed to the hen : " Treasure her more
than your eyes ; should she be lost, you shall forfeit
your own head."

As soon as he had gone the old woman began to think
evil thoughts. For she was great friends with one of
the young apprentices.

" Where do you get these precious stones from ? " the
apprentice asked her.

" Oh, it is our hen that lays them."

So the apprentice took the hen, looked, and under the
right wing he saw written in gold : " Whoever eats this
hen's head shall become a king, and whoever eats her
liver shall spit out gold."

So he told the wife, " Bake me the hen for supper."

" Oh, my dear friend, how can I ? My husband will
be coming back and will punish me."

But the apprentice would not listen to any argument.
" Bake it," he said — that was all.

54 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

The next day the old woman got supper ready, made
ready to twist the hen's neck and to roast it for supper
with the head and the liver. The cook twisted the hen's
neck and put her into the oven, and himself went out.
But in that time the two little children of the house,
who were at school, ran in, looked into the oven, and
wanted to nibble. The elder brother ate the head and
the youngest ate the liver.

When supper-time came, the hen was put on the table,
but when the apprentice saw that both the head and the
liver were missing he was very angry, quarrelled with the
old woman and went home. The old woman followed
him and wheedled, but he still insisted : " You bring
your children, take their liver out and brains, and give
them me for supper ; otherwise I will have nothing to
do with you."

So the old woman put her children to bed, called the
cook and bade him take them whilst they were asleep
into the wood, there kill them and extract their liver
and their brains and get them ready for supper. The
cook took the children into the slumbrous forest, stopped,
and made ready to whet the knife.

The boys woke up and asked, " Why are you sharpen-
ing the knife ? "

" Because yoirr mother has bidden me take out your
liver and brains and cook them."

" Oh, grandfather, little dove, do not slay us ; we will
give you all the gold you desire, only pity us and let us
free." So the younger brother filled lus skirt with gold,
and the cook was contented with this and he set them
free.

So the boys went forth into the forest and he turned
back. Fortunately for him a bitch came his way, so he
took her two puppies, took their livers and brains,
roasted them and gave them for supper. The appren-
tice was very pleased with the dish, swallowed it all,

THE MIRACULOUS HEN 55

and became neither a king nor a king's son, but simply
a fool.

The boys went out of the wood on the broad road,
and went whither their eyes gazed — maybe far, maybe
short, they went. Soon the road divided into two, and
a column stood there, and on the column it was written :

WHO GOES TO THE LEFT SHALL RECEIVE MUCH OF EVIL AND OF GRIEF,
BUT HE SHALL MARRY A FAIR PRINCESS."

So the brothers considered this inscription, and de-
cided to go in different directions ; the elder went to
the right and the younger to the left.

The elder went on and on, and soon came to an un-
known capital city. He also saw a mass of people, only
they were all mourning and sad. So he begged shelter
of a poor old widow. " Will you protect," he said, " a
foreigner from the dark night ? "

" I should be very glad to have you," she said, " but
I cannot put you anywhere, I am so closely packed."

" Do let me in, babushka ; I am such a simple youth,
just as, you are ; you can find me some small space, some
kind of nook for the night."

So the old woman admitted him, and they began to
speak.

" Why, babushka," the stranger asked, " is there such
a throng in the city, why are rooms so dear, and why are
the people aU mourning and melancholy ? "

" Well, our king has just died, and the boydrs have
sent the town-crier out to announce that old and young
are to assemble, and each of them is to have a candle,
and with the candles they are to go into the cathedral,
and whosesoever's candle lights of itself is to be king."

So in the morning the boy got up, washed, prayed to
God, said the grace for the bread and salt and the soft
bed which his hostess had given him, and went into the

S6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

cathedral. When he got there, if you had been there
three years you could not have counted all those people.
And he took a candle in his hand, and it lit up at once.
So they all burst upon him and began to blow out his
candle, to damp it, but the flame lit all the brighter.
There was no help for it : they acknowledged him as
their king, and dressed him in golden apparel and led
him to the palace.

But the younger brother, who had turned to the left,
heard that there was a fair princess in a certain kingdom
who was indescribably lovely. But she was very grudging,
and she announced in all countries that she would only
marry the man who could feed her army for three whole
years ; yet every one had to try his luck. So the boy
went there, and he went on his way, went on the broad
road. And he spat into his little bag, and spat it full of
pure gold. Well, it may be long, it may be short, it
may be near, it may be far, but he at last reached the
fair princess, and he said he would accomplish her task.
He had no need to ask for gold, he simply had to spit
and there it was. For three years he maintained the
princess's army, gave it food and drink and dress.

So the time came for a jolly feast and for the wedding.
But the princess was still full of wiles. She asked herself
and she sought to know whence God had sent him such
enormous wealth. So she invited him to be her guest,
received him, honoured him. And the doughty youth
fell sick, and he vomited up the liver of the hen, and the
Tsarevna swallowed it. From that day gold fell from her
lips, and she would not have her bridegroom with her.
" What shall I do with this ignoramus ? " she asked her
boyars, and she asked her generals. " He has had the
idiotic idea of wanting to marry me."

So the boyars said he must be hung, and the generals
said he must be shot. But the Tsarevna had a better
idea — that he ought to be sent to hell.

THE MIRACULOUS HEN 57

So the doughty youth escaped and once more set
forth on his road. And he had only one thought in his
mind, how he should make himself wise and revenge
himself on the Tsarevna for her unkind jest. So he went
on and went on, and he came into the dreamy wood,
and he looked and he saw three men fighting with their
fists.

" What are you fighting about ? "

" We have three finds in the road, and we cannot
divide them ; every one wants them for himself."

" What are the finds ? what are you contending
for ? "

" Look, this is a barrel : you only have to knock it,
and a soldier leaps out of its mouth. This is a flying
carpet : wherever you think it will take you. And this
is a whip : strike a maiden and say ' You have been a
maiden, now become a mare,' and she will become a
mare at once."

" These are valuable gifts, and they are hard to divide.
But this is the way out : I will send an arrow in this
direction, and you all run after it ; he who reaches it
first shall have the barrel, and the second shall have the
flying carpet, and the third shall have the whip."

" Very well ; shoot the dart."

So the youth sent out the arrow very far. The three
darted after it and ran, and they never looked up. But
the doughty youth took the barrel and the whip, sat
upon the flying carpet, waved it one end, and he rose
higher than the forest that stood there, lower than the
clouds above, and he flew whither he would.

So he went back to the forbidden lands of the fair
princess, began beating the barrel, and an enormous
army came out ; infantry, cavalry and artillery, with
cannon and with powder waggons. And the mighty
host rolled on and rolled on. The doughty youth asked
for a horse, mounted it, and went up to his army and

S8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

commanded it. The drums beat out and the trumpets
sounded, and the army went at a pace. Then the
Tsarevna saw from her rooms and was very much
frightened, and sent her boydrs and generals to ask for
peace. The good youth bade these ambassadors be seized,
had them cruelly and savagely punished and sent them
back to the Tsarevna, who was to come herself and ask
for a reconciliation.

Well, there was no help for it : so the Tsarevna her-
self got out of her carriage, recognised him and swooned.
But he took the whip, struck her on the back : " You are
a maiden, now became a mare ! " And the Tsarevna
turned into a mare. He bridled and rode her, and went
to the kingdom of his elder brother. He galloped at a
full pace, put both spurs into her back and used a scourge
of three iron rods, and the army followed him, an un-
believable host. It may be long, it may be short, at last
they came to the boundary, and the doughty youth
stopped, collected his army into the barrel, and went to
the capital. He went straight to the royal palace, and
the king himself saw him and looked at the mare and
began to wonder : " What is this great hero approach-
ing ? I have never seen such a fine mare in all my life."
So he sent his generals to trade for that horse.

" No, what an envious king you have ! " said the
youth. " It would evidently be out of the question
in your city to come here with a young wife ; if you are
so greedy for a mare, you would certainly take away my
wife."

Then he went to the palace and said, " Hail, brother ! "

" Oh, I never knew you ! "

So they set to kissing each other.

" What sort of barrel have you ? "

" That is for drinking. How should I journey forth
on the road otherwise ? "

" And the carpet ? "

THE MIRACULOUS HEN 59

" Sit down and you will find out."

So they sat on the flying carpet, and the younger
brother shook it at the corner and they flew higher than
the forest, lower than the wandering cloud, straight back
to their own country. So they flew back, took a room
with their father, and as to who they were they never
told their father and mother. So they then thought
they would give a feast to all the christened world. They
assembled all the people in countless hosts, and for three
whole days they ■ gave food and drink to all without
requital, without any charge. And afterwards every one
began saying had any one a tale of wonder to tell ; let
him start. But no one would say : " We, it is said, are
strange folk, but "

" Well, I will tell you a story," said the younger
brother ; " only do not talk until the end. Whoever
interrupts three times is to be ruthlessly punished." So
they all agreed.

And he began to tell how the two old folks had
lived together, how they had had a hen which laid jewels,
and how the mother had made friends with the appren-
tice. " What a lie ! " interrupted the mistress. But
the son went on with his tale. And he narrated how
they had twisted the hen's neck, and the mother again
interrupted. At last the story went up to the point
when the old woman wished to take away the children,
and again she would not stand it : " It is untrue ! " she
said. " Could ever such a thing happen ? Could ever a
mother wish to be torn from her children ? "

" Obviously, it is possible. Look at us, mother ; we
are your children."

Then the whole story came out, and the father bade
his wife be chopped up into bits. He tied the apprentice
to the tail of horses, and the horses broke in every
direction and scattered his bones over the fields. " Let
the dog die a dog's death ! " said the old man. And he

6o RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

gave all his property to the poor and went to live in his
elder son's kingdom.

But the younger son smote his mare with the back o£
his hand and said, " You are a mare ; now become a
maiden ! " So the mare turned into the fair Tsarevna.
They made peace, became friends and wedded. It was
a magnificent wedding.

I was there, I drank mead and it flowed up to my
beard, but none came into my mouth.

MARK THE RICH

In a country, in a kingdom far away, once upon a time
there lived a merchant, Mark the Rich ; and, what
with all his estates and revenues, you couldn't count
them. He lived, and was merry, and never suffered the
poor man to coine to his door, so ungracious was he.

One day he had a dream : " Make ready, Mark the
Rich, and wait. God Himself will be thy Guest ! " In
the morning Mark got up, called his wife, and bade her
make a banquet. He covered all of his courtyard with
scarlet velvet and golden brocade, and at every side-path
he posted journeymen and servants to keep out all the
hunger-brothers and scare them outside. Then Mark
the Rich came, and sat awaiting the Lord. The hours
went by, and never a guest. And then the poor heard
that there was a great feast at the house of Mark the
Rich, They all gathered round for the hallowed gifts ;
but the journeymen and servants drove them all away.
But onC'poor beggar, bent with age, and all in rags, went
up to the door of Mark the Rich. And as Mark the Rich
saw him from the window, he cried out in a fierce voice :
" Hi, you sluggards and louts ! Eyes and no eyes ? Look
at the beast that is traipseing up and down our courtyard :
get rid of him."

And all the servants scampered up, laid hold of the
poor old fellow, and rushed him out the back way. One
good old woman saw him, and said : " Come to me,
you poor old beggar ; I will feed andjrest you." She
took him in, fed him,'"gave*him to drink, and laid him

6i

62 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

to sleep ; and thus Mark the Rich had never found the
Lord for whom he was waiting.

At midnight the lady had a dream, and heard some
one knock at the window and ask : " Old and righteous
man, are you sleeping here to-night ? " " Yes," said
the old man. " In a village near by a poor peasant has
had a son ; how will you reward him ? " The poor man
said : " He shall be lord of all the domains of Mark the
Rich ! " Next day the poor old man left his hostess and
went forth to roam. The old peasant woman went to
Mark the Rich and told him of her dream.

Mark went to the peasant and asked for the baby.
" Give him to me — I wiU adopt him ; he shall grow up ;
I will teach him well ; and when I die he shall have all
my wealth." This was what he said, but his thoughts
were quite different. He took the little boy, went home,
and threw him into a snow-drift. " Lie there and freeze ;
that's the way to become master of Mark's wealth ! "
But that same night hunters, passing by, hunting for
hares, found the boy, took him home, and brought
him up.

Many years passed by, and much water flowed in the
river, and one day Mark the Rich went out with those
huntsmen, saw the young boy, heard his story, and spoke
about him, and knew it was the same he had cast forth.

So Mark the Rich asked the youth to go home and
take a letter to his wife ; but in that letter he bade her
poison the boy like a dog. The poor foundling set out
on his road ; when on his way, he met a poor man with
nothing on but a shirt ; but this beggar was Christ
Himself. He stopped the wayfarer, took the letter, and
held it for one minute, and the letter was changed in all
it said. The wife of Mark the Rich was to receive the
bearer with all honour, and marry him to her daughter.
It was said, and it was done.

Mark the Rich returned home ; and' was very wroth at

MARK THE RICH 63

seeing his new son-in-law, and said : " In the evening go
to my distillery and look after the work " ; whilst he
secretly told the men to hunt him into the burning
cauldron as soon as ever he appeared. So the boy made
ready to go to the distillery ; but a sudden sickness befell
him, and he had to go back home. Mark the Rich waited
his time, and went to see what had become of his son-
in-law, and tumbled into his own distillers' clutches,
into the burning cauldron !

BY COMMAND OF THE PRINCE DANIEL

Once upon, a time there was an aged queen who had a
son and a daughter, who were fine, sturdy children.
But there was also an evil witch who could not bear
them, and she began to lay plots how she might contrive
their overthrow.

So she went to the old Queen and said : " Dear
Gossip, I am giving you a ring. Put it on your son's
hand, and he will then be rich and generous : only he
must marry the maiden whom this ring fits."

The mother believed her and was extremely glad,
and at her death bade her son marry only the woman
whom the ring fitted.

Time went by and the boy grew up : he became a
man and looked at all the maidens. Very many of them
he liked, only as soon as he put the ring on their finger
it was either too broad or too narrow. So he travelled
from village to village and from town to town, and
searched out all the fair damsels, but he could not find his
chosen one, and returned home in a reflective mood.

" What's the matter, brother ? " his sister asked him.
So he told her of his trouble, explained his sorrow.
" What a wonderful ring you have ! " said the sister.
" Let me try it on." She tried it on her finger, and the
ring was firmly fixed as if it had been soldered on, as
though it had been made for her.

" Oh, sister ! you are my chosen bride, and you must
be my wife."

" What a horrible idea, brother ! That would be a

sm."

64

BY COMMAND OF THE PRINCE DANIEL 65

But the brother would not listen to a word she said.
He danced for joy and told her to make ready for the
wedding. She wept bitter tears, went in front of the
house, and sat on the threshold and let her tears flow.

Two old beggars came up, and she gave them to eat
and to drink. They asked what her trouble was, and
she needs must tell the two. " Now, weep no more,
but do what we say. Make up four dolls and put them
in the four corners of the room. After your brother
calls you in for the betrothal, go ; and if he calls you
into the bridal chamber, ask for time, trust in God, and
follow our advice." And the beggars departed.

The brother and sister were betrothed, and he went
into the room and cried out, " Sister mine, come in ! "

" I will come in in a moment, brother ; I am only
taking off my earrings."

And the dolls in the four corners began to sing :

Coo-Coo — Prince Danilo
Coo- Coo — Govorilo
Coo-Coo — 'Tis a brother
Coo-Coo — ^Weds his sister :
Coo-Coo — Earth must split asunder
Cooo — And the sister lie hid under.

Then the earth rose up and slowly swallowed the
sister.

And the brother cried out again, " Sister mine, come
in to the feather-bed ! "

" In a minute, brother. I am undoing my girdle."

Then the dolls began to sing :

Coo-Coo — Prince Danilo
Coo-Coo — Govorilo
Coo-Coo — 'Tis a brother
Coo-Coo — ^Weds his sister :
Coo-Coo — Earth must split asunder
Cooo — And the sjstejr lie hid pnder.

(£ RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Only she had vanished now, all but her head. And
the brother cried out again : " Come into the feather-
bed."

" In a minute, brother ; I am taking off my shoes."

And the dolls went on cooing, and she vanished under
the earth.

And the brother kept crying, and crying, and crying.
And when she never returned, he became angry and
ran out to fetch her. He could see nothing but the dolls,
which kept singing. So he knocked off their heads and
threw them into the stove.

The sister went farther under the earth, and she
saw a little hut standing on cocks' feet and turning
round. " Hut ! " she cried out, " Stand as you should
with your back to the wood."

So the hut stopped and the doors opened, and a fair
maiden looked out. She was knitting a cloth with gold
and silver thread. She greeted the guest friendlily and
kindly, but sighed and said, " Oh, my darhng, my
sister ! Oh, I am so glad to see you. I shall be so glad
to look after you and to care for you as long as my
mother is not here. But as soon as she flies in, woe to
you and me, for she is a witch."

When she heard this the maiden was frightened, but
could not fly anywhere. So she sat down and began
helping the other maiden at her work. So they chat-
tered along ; and soon, at the right time before the
mother came, the fair maiden turned her guest into a
needle, stuck her into the besom and put it on one side.
But scarcely had this been done, when Baba Yaga
came in.

" Now, my fair daughter, my little child, tell me at
once, why does the room smell so of Russian bones ? "

" Mother, there have been strange men journeying
past who wanted a drink of water."
" Why did you not keep them ? "

BY COMMAND OF THE PRINCE DANIEL e^

" They were too old, mother ; much too tough a
snack for your teeth."

" Henceforth, entice them all into the house and
never let them go. I must now get about again and
look out for other booty."

As soon as ever she had gone, the maidens set to work
again knitting, talking and laughing.

Then the witch came into the room once more. She
sniffed about the house, and said, " Daughter, my
sweet daughter, my darling, tell me at once, why does
it so smell of Russian bones ? "

" Old men who were just passing by who wanted
to warm their hands. I did my best to keep them, but
they would not stay."

So the witch was angry, scolded her daughter, and
flew away. In the meantime her unknown guest was
sitting in the besom.

The maidens once more set to work, sewed, laughed,
and thought how they might escape the evil witch.
This time they forgot how the hours were flying by,
and suddenly the witch stood in front of them.

" Darling, tell me, where have the Russian bones
crept away ? "

" Here, my mother ; a fair maiden is waiting for you."

" Daughter mine, darling, heat the oven quickly ;
make it very hot."

So the maiden looked up and was frightened to death.
For Baba Yaga with the wooden legs stood in front of
her, and to the ceiling rose her nose. So the mother
and daughter carried firewood in, logs of oak and maple ;
made the oven ready till the flames shot up merrily.

Then the witch took her broad shovel and said in a
friendly voice : " Go and sit on my shovel, fair child."

So the maiden obeyed, and the Baba Yaga was going
to shove her into the oven. But the girl stuck her feet
against the wall of the hearth.

68 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" WiU you sit still, girl ? "

But it was not any good. Baba Yaga could not put
the maiden into the oven. So she became angry, thrust
her back and said, " You are simply wasting time ! Just
look at me and see how it is done." Down she sat on the
shovel with her legs nicely trussed together. So the
maidens instantly put her into the oven, shut the oven
door, and slammed her in ; took their knitting with
them, and their comb and brush, and ran away. |e

They ran hard away, but when they turned round
there was Baba Yaga running after them. She had set
herself free. " Hoo, Hoo, Hoo ! there run the two ! "
So the maidens, in their need, threw the brush away,
and a thick, dense coppice arose which she could not
break through. So she stretched out her claws, scratched
herself a way through, and again ran after them. Whither
should the two poor girls flee ? They flung their comb
behind them, and a dark, murky oak forest grew up, so
thick, no fly could ever have flown its way through.
Then the witch whetted her teeth and set to work.
And she went on tearing up one tree after another by
the roots, and she made herself a way, and again set out
after them, and almost caught them up.

Now the girls had no strength left to run, so they
threw the cloth behind them, and a broad sea stretched
out, deep, wide and fiery. The old woman rose up,
wanted to fly over it, but fell into the fire and was
burned to death.

The poor maidens, poor homeless doves ! did not
know whither to go. They sat down in order to rest,
and a man came and asked them who they were. He
told his master that two little birds had fluttered on to
his estate ; two fairest damsels similar in form and shape,
eye for eye and line for line. One was his sister, but
which was it ? He could not guess. So the master
went to both of them. One was the sister — ^which ?

BY COMMAND OF THE PRINCE DANIEL 69

The servant had not lied ; he did not know them, and
she was angry with him and did not say.

" What shall I do ? " asked the master.

" Master, I will pour blood into an ewe-skin, put that
under my armpit and talk to the maiden. In the mean-
time I will go by and will stab you in the side with my
knife ; then blood will flow ; then your sister will
betray herself who she is."

" Very weU ! "

As soon as it was said it was done. The servant stabbed
his master in the side, and the blood poured forth, and
he fell down.

Then his sister flung herself over him and cried out,
" Oh, my brother ! my darling ! "

Then the brother jumped up again healthy and well.
He embraced his sister, gave her a proper husband, and
he married her friend, for the ring fitted her just as
well. So they all lived splendidly and happily.

THE THOUGHTLESS WORD

Once upon a time an old man lived in a village with his
wife, and they were very poor : they had only one son.
And when he grew up, the mother said to her husband :
" It is full time that- we secured a wife for our son."

" Well, go and see if you can bargain for a wife,"

The old woman went to her neighbour and asked him
if her son could marry his daughter. But the neighbour
said, " No ! " And she went to the next peasant, who
also declined the honour. And she searched the whole
village, and not a single soul would hear a single word
of it. When she came back she said : " Goodman, I fear
our son is born under an unlucky star ! "

" Why ? "

" I went through the whole village, and there is
nobody who will give me his daughter."

" That looks bad ! " said the husband. " It will soon
be summer, and we shall not have anybody to help us at
the harvest. Woman, go into the next village, as you
may find somebody there."

The old woman went to the next village, went from
one end to the other, went through all the courtyards
and houses of the peasants, but it was all in vain.
Wherever she showed her nose, she was put off. And
she came back home as she had left. " No one wants to
be kin with such poor folk as us ! "

" In that case it is no good running oneself off one's
legs. Go and sit behind the oven."

But the son was indignant, and asked : " Father, bless
me, and I will go and seek my own fate."

70

THE THOUGHTLESS WORD 71

" Where then will you go ? "

" Wherever my eyes lead me ! "

So they blessed him and they let him go wherever the
four winds blow.

When the boy was on the road, he wept bitterly and
spoke to himself : " Am I then the feeblest man in the
world, and no maiden will really have me ? If the Devil
would only send me a bride I think I would rake her ! "

Suddenly, just as though he had grown out of the
earth, an old man came to meet him, " Good day,
doughty youth ! "

" Good day, old father ! "

" What were you saying just now ? "

Then the boy was frightened and did not know what
to answer.

" You need not fear me. I will do you no harm, and
perhaps I can help you in your need. Speak out boldly."

So the boy told him all the truth. *' Oh, I am a sorry
fellow, and no maiden will marry me. That is making
me angry ; and I said in my indignation that if the Devil
himself came and gave me a girl, I would make her my
bride."

So the old man laughed and said : " I can give you a
bride, oh, as many brides as you like " ; and they then
came to a lake. " Stand with your back to the water,
and step backwards," the old man told the boy.

As soon as he had turned round, and had gone four
steps, he found himself under the water, in a white stone
palace.^ All the rooms were splendidly furnished and
finely decorated.

The old man gave him meat and drink, and afterwards
showed him twelve maidens, each of whom was fairer
than the others. " Choose which you will of them. You
shall have any of them."

^ The Devil in this story is the popular myth of the water-god or
spirit, The Vodyanoy.

72 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" It is a difficult choice, grandfather ! Let me have
till to-morrow to think of it."

" Well, 70U can have until to-morrow," said the old
man, and he took him into a large room.

The boy lay down to sleep and began to think which
he would take. Suddenly the door opened and a
beautiful maiden came in. " Are you asleep, doughty
youth, or not ? "

" No, fair maiden, I cannot sleep. I am thinking
which is the bride I shall take."

" That is the very reason I came to see you, in order
to give you counsel ; for, good man, you have become
the Devil's guest. So, listen to me ; if you ever wish
to return to the light of day, you must do as I say. If
you do not, you will not leave this place alive."

" Give me your counsel, fair maiden. I shaU not
forget it all my life long."

" To-morrow the Evil Spirit will show you twelve
maidens, one like the other. You must choose me, and
look at me very carefully. There will be a patch over
my right eye ; that will be the sign." And the maiden
told him her story. " Do you know the pope in a
neighbouring village ? I am his daughter, and was
stolen from his house nine years ago. One day my father
was angry with me and made a hasty wish that the Devil
might take me. I went in front of the house and cried,
and the Unholy Spirit soon snatched me on the spot,
carried me here ; and I have never left the place since."

Next day the old man set the twelve maidens in a row
before the boy, and commanded him to choose one of
them. He looked until he had seen the one with the
patch over the right eye, and chose her. The old man
was angry, but he had to give her up. And he therefore
mixed the maidens together and told him to make a
second choice. The boy hit on the same one, and after
a third choice he took his fated bride.

THE THOUGHTLESS WORD 73

■ " This has been your piece of luck. Now take her
home ! "

All at once the boy and the maiden found themselves
on the bank of the lake, and they walked backwards until
they reached the high road. The Devil wanted to hunt
after them ; but aU at once the lake vanished, and there
was no trace of the water.

When the boy had taken his bride into the village, he
stopped at the pope's house. The pope saw her, and
sent a servant out and asked what they desired.

" We are wandering folk, and ask for shelter."

" I have guests staying here, and my hut would be too
small anyhow."

" But, father ! " said the merchants, " wandering folk
must be always taken in : they will not disturb us."

" Well, come in."

The boy and the maiden came in, made due greetings,
and sat behind, on a corner of the fire bank.

" Do you know me, father ? I am your own
daughter ! " She told him what had happened ; and
they kissed, and embraced, and shed tears of joy.

" Who is he ? " said the pope, pointing to the boy.

" That is my own chosen bridegroom, who brought
me back to light of day, but for whom I should have
remained beneath for ever ! " Thereupon the fair
maiden opened her bag, and there were golden and
silver vessels in it which she had stolen from the devils.

A merchant looked at them and said : " Those are my
plate. Once I was dining with guests, and became
rather drunk, quarrelled with my wife, and I wished
them all to the Devil. And since then all my plate has
vanished ! "

And this was the truth, for as soon as ever the man
mentioned the Devil, the Evil Spirit appeared on the
threshold, gathered up all the gold and silver plate, and
threw skeleton bones down instead.

74 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the boy got a fine bride, married her, and drove to
see his parents. They had long given him up for dead,
and it was no wonder ; for he had been away for three
years, although it had seemed to him only twenty-four
hours that he had stayed with the Devil.

THE TSARITSA HARPIST

In a certain kingdom in a certain land once there lived
a Tsar and a Tsaritsa. He lived with her for some time,
then he thought he would go to that far distant country
where the Jews crucified ' Christ. So he issued orders to
his ministers, bade farewell to his wife, and set out on
his road.

It may-be far, it may-be short, he at last reached that
distant land where the Jews crucified Christ. And in
that country then the Accursed King was the ruler.
This King saw the Tsar, and he bade him be seized and
lodged in the dungeon. There were many tortures in
that dungeon for him. At night he must sit in chains,
and in the morning the Accursed King used to put a
horse-coUar on him and make him drive the plough until
the evening. This was the torment in which the Tsar
lived for three whole years, and he had no idea how he
should tear himself away or send any news of himself
to his Tsaritsa. And he sought for some occasion. And
he wrote her this little line : " Sell," he said, " all my pos-
sessions and come to redeem me from my misfortune."

When the Tsaritsa received the letter she read it
through and said to herself, " How can I redeem the
Tsar ? If I go myself, the Accursed King will receive
me and will take me to himself as a wife. If I send one
of the ministers, I can place no reliance on him." So
what did she advise ? She cut off her red hair, went
and disguised herself as a wandering musician, took her
gusli, and never told anybody, and so set out on her
road and way.

75

'je RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

She arrived at the Accursed King's courtyard and
began to play the gusli so finely as had never been heard
or listened to for ages. When the King heard such
wonderful music he summoned the harpist into the
palace. " Hail, guslydr ! From what land have you
come ? From what kingdom ? " asked the King.

" I do not journey far in the wide white world : I
rejoice men's hearts and I feed myself."

" Stay with me one day and another day, and a third,
and I will reward you generously."

So the guslydr stayed on, and played for an entire day
in front of the King, and he could never hear enough of
her. " What wonderful music ! why, it drove away all
weariness and grief as though at a breath."

So the guslydr stayed with the King three days, and
was going to say farewell.

" What reward can I offer you for your labour ? "
asked the King.

" Oh, your Majesty, give me one prisoner who has sat
long in the prison ; I must have a companion on the
road ! I wish to go to foreign kingdoms, and I have no
one with whom I can exchange a word."

" Certainly 1 Select whom you will," said the King,
and he led the guslydr into the prison.

The guslydr looked at the prisoners, selected the Tsar,
and they went out to roam together.

As they were journeying on to their own kingdom
the Tsar said, " Let me go, good man, for I am no
simple prisoner, I am the Tsar himself. I will pay you
ransom for as much as you wiU ; I will grudge you
neither money nor service."

" Go with God," said the guslydr : " I do not need
you at aU."

" Well, come to me as my guest."

" When the time shall come, I wiU be there."

So they parted, and each set out on his own way. The

THE TSARITSA HARPIST -]-]

Tsaritsa went by a circuitous route, reached home
before her husband, took off her guslar's dress and
arrayed herself Hke an empress.

In about one hour cries rang out and the attendants
came up to the palace, for the Tsar had arrived. The
Tsaritsa ran out to meet him,' and he greeted them all,
but he did not look at her. He greeted the ministers
and said, " Look, gentlemen, what a wife mine is !
Now she flings herself on my neck, but when I sat in
prison and sent her a letter to sell all my goods and to
redeem me she did nothing. Of what was she thinking
if she so forgot her liege husband ? "

And the ministers answered the Tsar, " Your Majesty,
on the very day the Tsaritsa received your letter she
vanished no one knows where, and has been away all this
time, and she has only just appeared in the palace."

Then the Tsar was very angry and commanded, " My
ministers, do ye judge my unfaithful wife according to
justice and to truth. Where has she been roaming in
the white world ? Why did she not try to redeem me ?
You would never have seen your Tsar again for ages of
eternity, if a young guslydr had not arrived, for whom I
am going to pray God, and I do not grudge giving him
half my kingdom."

In the meantime the Tsaritsa got off her throne and
arrayed herself as the harpist, went into the courtyard
and began to play the gusli. The Tsar heard, ran to
meet her, seized the musician by the hand, led her into
the palace and said to his Court, " This is the guslydr
who rescued me from my confinement." The guslydr
then flung off his outer garment, and they then all
recognised the Tsaritsa. Then the Tsar was overjoyed
and for his joy he celebrated a feast which lasted seven
whole days.

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH, THE BIRD
OF LIGHT, AND THE GREY WOLF

There was once, in a certain kingdom, a certain state,
where there lived Tsar Vyslav Andronovich, who had
three sons : the first was called Dmitri Tsarevich, the
second Vasili Tsarevich, and the third Ivan Tsarevich.
This Tsar had a garden so rich that in no other kingdom
was there any better, and in that garden many rare
trees grew with fruits and without fruits. And the Tsar
had an apple-tree which he especially loved, and on that
apple-tree all the apples that grew were of gold. But
it happened that the Bird of Light began to fly to visit
Tsar Vyslav. The feathers of the bird were all gold,
but the eyes were like crystal of the East. It flew into
the garden every night and sat on the apple-tree beloved
of Tsar Vyslav, and used to pluck down the goldei^ apples
and fly away. Tsar Vyslav Andronovich was deeply
afflicted, and he called to him his three sons and said
to them : " My beloved children, which of you will go
into my garden and catch the Bird of Light ? He who
captures it alive, I will in my lifetime give him the
half of my kingdom, and at my death he shall have
it all."

Then his children, the Tsarevichi, said in a single voice :
" Gracious lord, our father. Your Imperial Majesty, we
will, with the greatest pleasure, try to catch the Bird
of Light alive."

On the first night Dmitri Tsarevich went into the
garden and sat under the apple-tree from which the Bird
of Light used to steal the apples ; but he went to sleep,

78

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH 79

and he never heard when the Bird of Light flew up and
again plucked off many apples.

In the morning Tsar Vyslav Andronovich called his
son Dmitri to him, and he asked him : " Well, my
beloved son, did you see the Bird of Light, or did you
not ? " And he answered : " Father, gracious lord,
this night it did not come."

So the next night Vasili Tsarevich went to keep watch
in the garden. He sat under the same apple-tree, and
sat there one hour and went to sleep so soundly that he
never heard the coming of the Bird of Light, which flew
on to the tree, perched on it, and plucked many apples.

In the morning the Tsar called his second son and
questioned him, and he answered : " Gracious lord, my
father, this night the Bird of Light did not come."

And on the third night Ivan Tsarevich went into the
garden to watch, and sat under the same apple-tree ;
and he waited one hour, a second hour, and a third
hour; and then the whole garden lit up as though it
shone with many fires, and the Bird of Light flew in and
sat on the apple-tree and began to pluck the apples.
Ivan Tsarevich stole under it so warily, and seized it by
its tail, only he could not keep hold of it ; and had only
one feather out of its tail.

In the morning, when Tsar Vy-slav awoke from his
sleep, Ivan Tsarevich went to him, and gave him the
feather of the Bird of Light. Tsar Vyslav was very glad
that his youngest son had succeeded, although he had
only a single feather ; and this feather was so marvellous
and bright that you had only to take it into some dark
attic and it shone as bright as the red sun. Tsar Vyslav
put the feather into his cabinet as an article which he-
must keep for ever ; and from that time forward the
Bird of Light never flew into the garden.

Tsar Vyslav once again called his children unto him and
said, " My beloved sons, do ye journey forth ; I will

8o RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

give you /my blessing. You must seek for the Bird of
Light and bring it to me alive ; and what I promised you
before, he who captures the Bird of Light shall have."

Dmitri and Vasili were envious of their younger
brother Ivan that he had succeeded in pulling the feather
out of the Bird of Light's tail. But Ivan Tsarevich asked
leave of his father and his blessing. Tsar Vyslav tried
to keep Ivan back, but he could not, and he let him go
at his unrelaxing prayer. Ivan Tsarevich received his
father's blessing, took his horse, and went on his journey,
journeying forth, not knowing whither he was going.

And as he went on the road and way — ^it may be near,
it may be far, it may be high, it may be low, the tale is
soon told, but the deed is not soon done — at last he
reached an open field and green meadows. And in the
open field there stood a stone column, and on the column
these words were written :

" Whosoever goes on straight from this column, he
shall have hunger and cold. Whosoever goes to
the right, he shall have health and life, but his
horse shall be slain. And whosoever goes to the
left, he shall himself be slain, but his horse shall
have life and be healthy."

Ivan Tsarevich read this inscription, and he went to
the right, bethinking himself, if his horse were to be
slain, anyhow he would remain alive. So he went on
one day, and a second and a third day, and suddenly
a fierce grey Wolf met him and said : " All hail to thee,
warrior ! Doughty of might, Ivan Tsarevich, hast thou
read how it is written on the column that thy horse shall
be slain ? So why hast thou ridden this way ? " And
the Wolf, speaking these words, cleft the horse of the
young Ivan Tsarevich in two and went far aside.

Ivan Tsarevich wept bitterly for his horse, and he
went on on foot. And he went one whole day and grew

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH 8i

very, very tired ; and when he wanted to sit down and
to rest, suddenly the grey Wolf came up to him and
said : " I have pity for you, Ivan Tsa'revich, that you are
tiring yourself going on foot. Come, sit on me — on the
grey Wolf — ^and say whither I shall take you and where-
fore." Ivan Tsarevich told the grey Wolf where he
wanted to go, and the grey Wolf flew off with him swifter
than any horse ; and, in a short time, as it might be in a
single night, he conducted Ivan Tsarevich to a stone wall,
stopped, and said : " Now, Ivan Tsarevich, jump off me
— off the grey Wolf — and go through this stone wall.
There is a garden behind the wall, and in that garden
the Bird of Light is sitting in a golden cage. You must
take the Bird of Light, but you must not touch the golden
cage, or they will capture you at once."

Ivan Tsarevich slipped through the stone wall into the
garden, saw the Bird of Light in the golden cage, and was
very pleased. He took the Bird out of the cage, and was
going back, and then he thought and said to himself :
" Why should I take the Bird of Light without the cage ?
Where shall I put it ? " So he turned back, and as soon
as ever he had taken the golden cage there was a clamour
and a clangour in the garden as though there were ropes
attached to the cage. AU the watchmen woke up, ran
up into the garden, seized Ivan Tsarevich with the Bird
of Light, and took him to their Tsar, who was called
Dolmat.

Tsar Dolmat was very angry with Ivan Tsarevich, and
shrieked in a wrathful tone : " Are you not ashamed of
yourself, young man, to come stealing ? Who are you —
of what land ? Who was your father ? How do they
call you on earth ? "

Ivan Tsarevich answered him : " I am the son of
Tsar Vyslav Andronovich, and they call me Ivan Tsare-
vich. Your Bird of Light flew into the garden every
night and stole the golden apples from the apple-tree

82 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

my father loved, and for that reason my father sent me
to seek the Bird of Light and to take it to him."

" Oh, thou brave youth, Ivan Tsarevich ! " Tsar
Dolmat cried. " I would certainly have given you the
bird, but what did you do ? If you had come to me,
1 should have given you the Bird of Light as an honour ;
but, now, would it be well, were I to send you into all
kingdoms to proclaim how you came into my realm and
dealt dishonourably ? Now listen, Ivan Tsarevich. If
you will do me this service, if you wiU go across thrice
nine kingdoms into the thrice-tenth realm, and will
there obtain me from Tsar Af ron the golden-maned horse,
I will forgive your sin, and I will give you the Bird of
Light, and will do you great honour."

And Ivan Tsarevich became very sorrowful, and left
Tsar Dolmat, found the grey Wolf, and told him of
everything.

" Hail to thee, warrior, doughty of might ! " the
grey Wolf said to him. " Why did you not listeii to my
words ? Why did you take the golden cage ? "

" I am guilty," Ivan Tsarevich said to the Wolf.

" Well, so be it," said the grey Wolf. " Sit on me —
on the grey Wolf. I will take you wherever you wish."

Ivan Tsarevich sat on the grey Wolf's back, and the
Wolf chased as fast as a dart and ran may-be far, may-be
near, and at last he reached the kingdom of Tsar Afron
at night-time ; and when he had come to the white-
stoned stables of the Tsar, the grey Wolf said to Ivan
Tsarevich : " Get down, Ivan, go into the white-
stoned stables, and take the golden-maned horse ; only
there hangs a golden bridle on the wall which you are
not to touch, or it will go ill with you."

Ivan Tsarevich went into the white-stoned stables,
took the horse, and went back. But he saw the golden
bridle on the wall, and when his glance feU on it he took
it from the hook. And as soon as he touched it there was

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH 83

a clangour and a clamour throughout all the stables as
though there were ropes attached to the bridle. All the
watchmen woke up, ran into the stable, seized Ivan
Tsarevich with the golden-maned steed and took him to
their Tsar Afron.

Tsar Afron was very angry with Ivan Tsarevich, and
asked him who he was, who was his father, and what
was his name. When Ivan had told him also of his errand,
he said : "I would have certainly given you the golden-
maned horse if you had asked me for it, but since you
have dealt thus dishonourably with me, you must do
me this service, and then I wiU give you the golden-
maned horse with the bridle : you must ride across
thrice-nine lands into the thrice-tenth kingdom and gain
me Princess Elena the Fair, whom I have for long loved
with all my heart and soul, but cannot gain. In return
for this I will forgive you, and give you what you sought
as an honour : but if you do not do me this service I
will proclaim throughout all the realms of the world
that you are a dishonourable thief."

Ivan Tsarevich went out of the palace and began to
weep bitterly : then he came to the grey Wolf and
related how it had gone with him.

" Hail to thee, brave warrior, doughty of might ! "
the grey Wolf said. " Why did you not listen to my
words, and take the golden bridle ? "

" I have been guilty before you," said Ivan Tsarevich.

" Well, so be it," the grey Wolf went on. " Sit on my
back, on the grey Wolf : I will take you wherever you
require."

So Ivan Tsarevich sat on the grey Wolf's back, and the
grey Wolf scoured as fast as a dart, and at last he
arrived at the kingdom of Princess Elena the Fair, to
the golden palisade which surrounded the wonderful
garden ; and the Wolf said to the Tsarevich : " Ivan
Tsarevich, slip off my back, off the grey Wolf, and go

84 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

behind on that road and wait for me in the open field
under the green oak." Ivan Tsarevich went as he was
bidden, and the grey Wolf sat near the golden palisade,
waiting until Princess Elena the Fair should come into
the garden to walk.

In the evening, when the little sun was setting fast
to the West, Princess Elena the Fair went into the garden
to take a walk with all of her maids of honour and servants
and attendants and all the boydryni^ around. When she
came to the place where the grey Wolf sat behind the
railing, suddenly the grey Wolf leapt across the grating
to the garden, seized Princess Elena the Fair, leapt back
and ran away with all his might and strength. He then
went into the open field under the green oak where
Ivan Tsarevich was waiting, and said, " Ivan Tsarevich,
come sit on my back, on the grey Wolf swiftly." Ivan
Tsarevich sat on him, and the grey Wolf scoured off
with them both fast to the kingdom of Tsar Afron.

All the maids of honour and servants and attendants
and boydryni ran swiftly into the palace and began to set
a hunt on foot, but however many the hunters that
hunted, they could not hunt down the grey Wolf, and
so they all turned back home again frustrated.

Ivan Tsarevich, seated on the grey Wolf's back with
Princess Elena the Fair, fell in love with her and she
with him : and when the grey Wolf arrived at the
garden of Tsar Afron, the Tsarevich grew very sad and
began to weep tears.

The grey Wolf asked him, " Why are you weeping,
Tsarevich ? "

And Ivan Tsarevich answered him, " O my friend,
the grey Wolf, how shall it be to me, the doughty youth,
not to weep, not to be aflflicted ? I love Princess Elena
the Fair with all my heart, and now I must give her up
to Tsar Afron in exchange for the golden-maned horse :

' Countesses.

THE TALE OF IVAN TSARfiVICH 85

and, if I do not give her up, then Tsar Afron will dis-
honour me throughout all the kingdoms."

" I have served you well, Ivan Tsarevich," the grey-
Wolf replied, " and I will serve you yet this service.
Listen, Ivan Tsarevich, I wiU turn myself into the fair
Princess Elena, and you will take me to Tsar Afron and
be given the golden-maned horse : he will then take
me as his queen, and when you sit on the golden-maned
horse and you ride far away, then I wiU ask Tsar Afron
leave to walk in the open field, and when he lets me go
with the maids of honour and servants and serving-
maids and attendants and the boydryni, then think of
me, and I shall be with you once again."

His speech finished, the grey Wolf struck the grey
earth and he turned himself into Princess Elena.

Ivan Tsarevich took the grey Wolf and went into the
palace of Tsar Afron together with the supposed Elena
the Fair. Then the Tsar was very joyous in his heart
that he had received such a treasure, which he had been
desiring for long, and he gave the golden-maned horse
to Ivan Tsarevich. Ivan Tsarevich sat on the horse,
and he went behind the town and he placed Elena the
Fair on it, and they went away, taking their road to the
kingdom of Tsar Dolmat.

The grey Wolf stayed one day with Tsar Afron, and
a second day and a third in the stead of fair Princess
Elena. And then he asked leave of Tsar Afron to go and
walk in the open field, that he might drive out the
ravening sorrow from his heart. Then Tsar Afron said
to him : " O my fair Queen Elena, I will do anything
for you," and he promptly bade the maids of honour,
the servants, the attendants and the boydryni to go
with him and the fair Princess into -the open field to
walk.

Ivan Tsarevich went on his way and rode with Elena
the Fair, and they had almost forgotten the grey Wolf,

86 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

when he suddenly recollected : " Oh, where is my grey
Wolf ? "

Then, from some source unknown, he stood in front
of Ivan Tsarevich and said, " Sit on me, Ivan Tsarevich,
on the grey Wolf, and the fair Princess can go on the
golden-maned steed."

Ivan Tsarevich sat on the grey Wolf, and so they went
on to the realm of Tsar Dolmat, may-be far or near;
and when they reached that kingdom then they stopped
three versts out of the town, and Ivan began to beseech
the grey Wolf : " Listen to me, my beloved friend, the
grey Wolf ; you have served me so many services,
serve me a last : can you not turn yourself into the
golden-maned horse ? "

Then the grey Wolf struck the grey earth and became
the golden-maned horse ; and Ivan Tsarevich left the
Fair Elena in the green meadow, sat on the grey Wolf
and went into the palace to Tsar Dolmat ; and as soon as
ever Tsar Dolmat saw Ivan Tsarevich, that he was riding
the golden-maned horse, he came out of his palace,
met the Tsarevich in the open courtyard, kissed him on
his smooth cheeks, took him by his right hand and led
him into the white-stoned palace. Tsar Dolmat for such
a joy bade a feast be prepared, and they sat at the oaken
tables by the chequered table-cloths, and they ate,
drank and made merry for two days. On the third
day Tsar Dolmat delivered to Ivan the Bird of Light
with the golden cage. The Tsarevich took the golden
Bird, went outside the town, sat on the golden-maned
horse together with the Princes? Elena, and went back
to his own country.

Tsar Dolmat thought the next day he would take his
golden-maned horse into the open fields, and as soon as
ever he had angered the horse, it reared and was turned
into a great grey Wolf who raced off.

When it came up with Ivan Tsarevich it said, " Sit

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH 87

on me, on the grey Wolf, and Princess Elena the Fair
she can ride on the golden-maned horse."

Ivan Tsarevich sat on the grey Wolf and they went a
third journey. Soon the grey Wolf took Ivan Tsarevich
to the place where he had cleft his horse in two, and
said : " Now, Ivan Tsarevich, I have served you well,
faithfully and truly: on this spot I cleft your horse in
two, and up to this spot I have brought you again :
slip off me, off the grey Wolf ; now you have your
golden-maned horse, I can serve you no more."

The grey Wolf spoke these words and went into the
forest ; and Ivan Tsarevich wept bitterly for the grey
Wolf, and went on his road with the fair Elena on the
golden-maned horse. And before he reached his own
kingdom and when he was only twenty versts off, he
stopped, got off his horse, and together with the fair
Elena went under a tree : he tied the golden-maned
horse to that same tree, and he took the cage with the
Bird of Light with him ; and lying on the grass engaged
in loving conversations they went to sleep.

Now it happened at this time that the brothers of
Ivan Tsarevich, Dmitri and Vasili, were riding out in
different states and could not find the Bird of Light.
They were just returning to their kingdom with empty
hands, and they were provoked. And they lit upon their
sleeping brother with the fair Princess Elena. When
they saw the golden-maned horse and the Bird of Light
in the golden cage on the grass they were delighted,
and thought that they would slay their brother Ivan
Tsarevich. Dmitri took his sword out of his sheath and
cleft Ivan Tsarevich, and then he roused the fair Princess
Elena and began to ask her : " Fair maiden, from what
kingdom art thou, who was thy father, how do they call
thee on earth ? "

And the fair Princess Elena, seeing Ivan Tsarevich
dead, was sore afraid, and with bitter tears spake. " I

88 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

am Princess Elena the Fair ; and Ivan Tsarevich found
me, whom ye have slain, whom ye have given over to an
evil death : i£ ye were good champions, ye would have
gone with him into the open field and have slain him
in fair fight. But ye have slain him in his sleep, and how
shall ye receive praise ? Is not a man asleep as one
dead ? "

Then Dmitri Tsarevich put his sword to the breast of
fair Princess Elena : " Listen, Elena the Fair, you are
now in our hands : we will take you to our father.
Tsar Vyslav Andronovich, and you are to tell him that
we found you and the Bird of Light and the golden-maned
steed. If you do not say this, we will slay you at once."

Princess Elena the Fair was frightened to death, and
swore by all the holy relics that she would do as she was
bidden. Then Dmitri Tsarevich and Vasili Tsarevich
began to cast lots who should have the fair Princess
Elena and who should have the golden-maned horse,
and the lot fell that the fair Princess Elena should belong
to Vasili and the horse to Dmitri.

Ivan Tsarevich lay down dead on that spot for thirty
days, and in that time the grey Wolf ran up to him and
he recognised Ivan Tsarevich by his breath, and he
wished to help him and revive him, but he did not know
how. Then at that time he saw a crow and two nesthngs
flying round the body, who wished to land there and to
eat the flesh of Ivan Tsarevich. The grey Wolf sprang
from behind the bush, laid hold of one of the nestlings
and was going to tear it in two. Then the crow flung
himself on earth and sat not far from the grey Wolf
on the fields. " Don't touch my child ; it has not done
you any harm ! "

" Listen, Voron Voronovich : I wiU not touch your
son if you will do me a service ; to fly across thrice-nine
lands into the thrice-tenth realm and bring me the
waters of Life and Death."

THE TALE OF IVAN TSAREVICH 89

Then the crow said, " Grey Wolf, I will do this service ;
only do not touch my son." And the crow spoke these
words and flew away.

On the third day the crow flew back and brought with
him two phials : in one was the water o£ Life and in the
other the water of Death. And he gave these to the
grey Wolf ; and the grey Wolf took the phials, cut the
nestling into two, sprinkled him with the dead water,
and the nestling grew together ; then he sprinkled him
with the water of Life, and the nesthng shook himself
and flew away.

Then the grey Wolf sprinkled Ivan Tsarevich with the
water of Death, and his body clove together ; and he
sprinkled him then with the water of Life, and Ivan
Tsarevich stood up alive and said : " Oh, what a long
sleep I have had ! "

And the grey Wolf said to him, " Yes, Ivan Tsarevich,
you might have slept for ever if I had not been here :
for your brothers have plundered you, and they have
taken Princess Elena the Fair and the golden-maned
horse and the Bird of Light with them. Now listen,
and return to your kingdom as fast as you can : your
brother Vasili is to-day going to marry your bride.
Princess Elena the Fair. You must hasten there as fast
as possible. Sit on me, on the grey Wolf, and I will
take you there."

Ivan Tsarevich sat on the grey Wolf, and the Wolf ran
with him into the kingdom of Tsar Vyslav Andronovich,
and, whether it be long or whether it be far or whether
it be near, they reached the town. Ivan Tsarevich slipped
off the grey Wolf and went into the town and arrived
at the palace, and waited until his brother had returned
with the Princess from the crowning ; and they were
sitting down at table.

When Elena the Fair saw Ivan Tsarevich, she jumped
up at once from her chair and began to kiss his sweet

90 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

lips and to cry out, " O my beloved bridegroom, Ivan
Tsarevich : this is he, and not that other who sits at
table."

Then Tsar Vyslav Andrqnovich stood up from his place
and began to ask, and began to question the Princess
Elena the Fair what this might mean. Then the fair
Princess told him all the real truth, how it had been.

Tsar Vyslav Andronovich was then very wroth with
'Dmitri and Vasili and sent them into the darkness of
the dungeon. Ivan Tsarevich married Princess Elena
the Fair and lived with her friendlywise and lovingly,
so that one might never be seen anywhere without the
other.

THE PRIEST WITH THE ENVIOUS EYES

There was once a priest who lived in the parish of St.
Nicholas. He served St. Nicholas for some years, and all
his earnings were that he had neither house nor home, nor
a roof over his head. So our good priest got together
all his keys, and seeing the icon of St. Nicholas, struck it
down, and left his parish to go whithersoever his eyes
should guide him. And he went roaming on his way.

Suddenly an unknown man met him. " How do you
do, good man ? " he said to the pope.^ " Whither are
you going ? and whence do you come ? " " Take me
with you as a companion." So they went off together.
They went on some versts, and became tired. It was
time to rest.

Now the pope had two biscuits, and his new friend
had two wafers. The pope said to him : " We will first
of all eat up your wafers, and we will then go on with
the biscuits."

" All right ! " the unknown man said to him. " Let
us first eat up my wafers, and leave your b^cuits for a
dessert."

So they ate the wafers, ate them all up, and they were
fuUy sated, and there were still wafers over.

So the pope became envious. " Why," he thought,
" I will steal them." The old man lay down to sleep
after dinner, and the pope was all agog to see how he
could steal those wafers. The old man went to sleep ;
so the pope abstracted the wafers from his pocket and
silently began eating them.

^ Village priest.
91

92 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

The old man woke up and felt for his wafers, and
could not find them anywhere. " Where are my wafers f
Who has eaten them up ? Have you, pope ? "

" No, I did not," answered the pope.

" Well, all right ; I don't mind."

So they shook themselves up, and they went on their
way and journey, went on and on, and the roads suddenly
divided and they came to a carfax. So they both went
on a single road and arrived at a kingdom. Now, in this
kingdom the Tsar's daughter was near her death, and
the Tsar had promised any one who should cure her half
of his reign and rule and realm ; but any one who failed
was to have his head cut off and placed on a pole.

When they arrived in front of the Tsar's courtyard,
they got themselves up finely, and they called themselves
doctors. The henchmen sallied out of the Tsar's court-
yard, and asked them : " What sort" of people are you ?
What is your race ? What is your city ? What do you
require ? "

" We," they answered, " are doctors, and we can cure
the Tsarevna."

" Well, if you are doctors, come into the palace."

So they went into the palace, looked at the Tsarevna,
asked for special huts from the Tsar, for a can of
water, for a curved sabre, and a large table. The Tsar
gave them all they required.

They then locked themselves up in the huts, tied the
princess down on the big table, cut her up with the
curved sabre into little bits, put them all into the
cauldron, washed them, and rinsed them out. Then
they began to put them together — ^bit by bit, fragment
by fragment. And the old man breathed on them.
Piece clove to piece, and made one. Then he took all
the pieces, breathed on them for the last time, and the
princess trembled all over, and woke aUve and well.

The Tsar himself came into their hut. " In the

THE PRIEST WITH THE ENVIOUS EYES 93

Name of the Father, and o£ the Son, and of the Holy-
Ghost ! "

" Amen ! " they answered.

" Have you cured the Tsarevna ? " asked the Tsar.

" Yes," the doctors answered — " there she is ! " The
Tsarevna came out with the Tsar aKve and well.

The Tsar said to the doctors : " What good thing do
you desire — gold or silver ? Ask and you shall have."
So they began to bring gold and silver. And the old man
took as much as he could take with his thumb and two
fingers, but the pope took it by handfuls, and he rammed
it all into his wallet and hid it away, concealed it, lifted
it up as much as ever his power could.

The old man then said to the pope : " Let us bury all
the money in the earth and again go a-healing."

So they went on and went on, and they arrived at
another kingdom in which there also was a princess on
the verge of death, and the Tsar promised any one who
should cure her half of his realm and rule and reign ;
but any one who failed was to have his head cut off.

But the Evil One was tempting the envious pope —
how he should manage to tell nothing to the old man,
but to cure her by himself, and so get all the gold and
silver for himself. So he dubbed himself a doctor,
arrayed himself finely, and arrived at the Tsar's court-
yard, just as they had done before. In the same way he
asked for the same implements from the Tsar, shut
himself up in the special hut, tied the princess down on
the table, took out the curved sabre ; and however much
the Tsarevna might cry out and wriggle, the pope dis-
regarded all her shrieks, and all her yelpings, poor girl,
and cut her to bits like mincemeat. He then cut it all
up fine, threw it into the cauldron, washed it and rinsed
it, took it out, put piece to piece exactly the same as
the old man had done. And he then wanted to put
them altogether, breathed on them — and nothing hap-

94 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

pened ! He pumped his lungs out, but nothing hap-
pened. It was all to no purpose. So he put all the«frag-
ments back into the water, rinsed and scoured them
through, fitting the pieces together, and breathed on
them. It was all of no good.

" Oh, whatever shall I do ? " the pope thought.
" This is simply horrible ! "

In the morning the Tsar went to him and saw that
the doctor had had no luck. He had mixed up the whole
body on the floor. So the Tsar ordered the doctor to
the gallows.

The pope then began to beg. " Tsar ! Tsar ! I am
a free man. Give me a short space of time. I will go
and look out for another old man who can really cure
the Tsarevna." So the pope went to look for the old
man, found him, and said : " Old man, I am a depraved
sinner. The fiends tempted me. I wanted to cure the
Tsar's daughter all by myself, and I was not able, and
they are now going to hang me. Do come and help
me!''

So the old man went with the pope, and the noose
was put round the pope's neck. Then the old man said
to the pope : " Pope, who ate up my wafers ? "

" I really didn't ; I swear I didn't ! "

So they made him mount one rung higher, and again
the old man said to him : " Pope, who ate my wafers
up ?"

" I really didn't ; I swear I didn't ! "

So he went up the third rung, and again said he didn't.
This time he had his head in the noose tight, and still he
said : " I did nothing of the sort ! "

So the old man said to the Tsar : " I am a free man.
Will you let me cure the Tsarevna, and if I do not succeed,
have a second noose got ready for my neck : one for me
and one for the pope."

Then the old man took the morsels of the Tsarevna's

THE PRIEST WITH THE ENVIOUS EYES 95

body, bit by bit, breathed on them, and she arose alive
and well.

Then the Tsar rewarded them both with gold and
silver.

" Now let us go and divide the money," said the old
man.

So they started. They put all the money into three
little piles, and the pope looked on, and said : " What
do you mean ? There are only two of us. Who is to
have the third ? "

Said the old man : " That is for the thief who ate up
my wafers."

" Oh, it was I who ate them up ! " the pope cried out.
" I really did ! I swear it ! "

" Then you may have all the money, and my own share
as well. Henceforth serve your parish faithfully. Do
not be a miser, and do not beat St. Nicholas on the
shoulders with the keys ! " the old man said, and vanished.

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH

Once upon a time there was a soldier who had served
God and the Great Sovereign for twenty-five whole
years, and had only in the end earned three biscuits, and
was journeying back home. And, as he went along, he
thought : " Lord ! here am I ; I have served my Tsar
for twenty-five years, have received my food and dress,
and what have I lived for after all ? I am cold and
hungry, and have only three biscuits to eat." So he
pondered and thought, and decided to desert and run
away whither his eyes might lead him.

As he went along he met a poor beggar who asked
alms of him. The soldier gave him one biscuit, and kept
two. And, as he trudged on, he soon came across
another poor beggar, who bowed down low and asked
for alms. So the soldier gave him another biscuit, and
had only one left. Again on he went, and met a third
beggar. The old fellow bowed low and asked for alms.
The soldier got his last biscuit out, and thought : " If
I give him the whole, I shall have none left ; if I give
half, why, this old man will come across brother-beggars,
will see they have a whole biscuit, and be offended.
Better let him have it all, and I shall get on somehow."
So he gave his last biscuit, and had nothing left.

Then the old man asked him : " Tell me, good man,
what do you wish ? Of what have you need ? I will
help you."

" God bless you ! " the soldier answered. " How
should I take anything of you ? — ^you are old and poor."

" Don't think of my poverty," he replied. " Just say

96

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH 97

what you would like, and I will requite you according
to your own goodness."

" I want nothing ; but, if you have any cards, give
me some as a keepsake."

For the old man was Christ Himself walking on earth
in a beggar's guise. The old man put his hand into his
breast and drew out a pack of cards, saying: "Take
them. With whomsoever you play, you will win the
game ; and here you have a nosebag. Whatever you
meet on the way, whether wild beast or bird that you
would like to catch, just say to it : ' Jump in here, beast
or bird ! ' and your wish will be carried out."

" Thank you ! " said the soldier, took the cards and
the nosebag, and fared forth.

He went on and on, may-be far, may-be near, may-be
short, may-be long, and arrived at a lake, on which three
wild geese were swimming. Then the soldier suddenly
remembered the nosebag and thought : " I'll just test
this nosebag " ; took it out, opened it, and said : " Hi !
you wild geese, fly into my nosebag ! " No sooner
uttered than the geese flew straight up from the lake
into the bag. The soldier grabbed the bag, tied it up,
and went on his way.

He travelled on and on and came to a town. He
entered an eating - house and told the inn-keeper :
" Take this goose and cook it for my supper, and I will
give you another goose for your pains. Change me this
third one for vodka." So there the soldier sat like a lord
in the inn, at his ease, drinking wine and feasting on
roast goose.

It occurred to him suddenly he might peer out of the
window, and he saw opposite a big palace, but not one
pane of glass was whole, " What is this ? " he asked the
inn-keeper. " What is this palace ? Why does it stand
empty ? "

"Why, don't you knov/?" the master replied, "Our

98 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Tsar built himself this palace, but cannot inhabit it ;
and, for seven years, it has been standing empty. Some
unholy power drives every one out of the place. Every
night an assemblage of devils meets there, make a row,
dance, play cards, and perpetrate every sort of vileness ! "

So off the soldier went to the Tsar. " Your Imperial
Majesty," quoth he, " please let me spend one night in
your empty palace ! "

" What do you mean, fellow ? " said the Tsar. " God
bless you ; but there have been some dare-devils like
you who passed a night in this palace, and not one
emerged alive ! "

" Well, still, a Russian soldier cannot drown in water,
or burn in fire. I served God and the Great Sovereign
five-and-twenty years, and never died of it ; and, for
one night's service for you, I am to die ! No ! "

" But I tell you : a man enters the palace at night
alive, and only his bones are found there in the morning! "

But the soldier stood firm : he must be admitted into
the palace.

" Well," said the Tsar, " go, and God help you. Stay
the night there if you will ; you are free, and I won't
hinder you ! "

So the soldier marched into the palace, and settled
himself down in the biggest saloon, took his knapsack
off and his sabre, put the knapsack in a corner and the
sabre on a hand-peg, sat down on a chair, put his hand
into his pocket for his tobacco-pouch, lit his pipe, and
smoked at his ease. Then about midnight, I don't know
where from, hordes of devils, seen and unseen, scurried
up, and made such a turmoil and row, and set up a dance
with v/ild music. " What, you here, discharged soldier ! "
all the devils began yelling. " Welcome ! Will you play
cards with us ? "

" Certainly ; here I have a set ready. Let's start ! "

He took them out and dealt round. They began.

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH 99

played a game out, and the soldier won ; another, and
the same luck ; and all the finessing of the devils
availed them nothing ; the soldier won all the money,
and raked it all together.

" Stop, soldier," the devils said. " We still have sixty
ounces of silver and forty of gold. We'll stake them on
the last game." And they sent a little devil-boy to fetch
the silver.

So a new game commenced ; and then the little devil
had to pry in every nook and come back and teU the old
devil : " It's no use, grandfather — we have no more."

" Off you go ; find some gold ! " And the urchin
went and hunted up gold from everywhere, turned
an entire mine inside out and still found -nothing: the
soldier had played everything away.

The devils got angry at losing all their money, and
began to assault the soldier, roaring out : " Smash him
up, brothers ! Eat him up ! "

" We'll see who'll have the last word if it comes to
eating," said the soldier, shook the nosebag open, and
asked, " What is this ? "

" A nosebag," said the devils.

" Well, in you all go, by God's own spell ! " And he
collected them aU together — so many you couldn't count
them all ! Then the soldier buckled the bag tightly,
hung it on a peg, and lay down to sleep.

In the morning the Tsar sent for all his folks. " Come
up to me and inform me how does it stand with the
soldier. If the unholy powers have destroyed him,
bring me his little bones."

So off they went and entered the palace, and there
saw the soldier trudging up and down gaily in the rooms
and smoking his pipe. " Well, how are you, discharged
soldier ? We never expected to see you again alive.
How did you pass the night ? What kind of bargain
did you make with the devils ? "

loo RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" What devils ! Just con^e and look what a lot of
gold and silver I won oflE them. Look, what piles of it ! "
And the Tsar's servants looked and were amazed. And the
soldier told them : " Bring me two smiths as fast as you
can. Tell them to bring an iron anvil and a hammer."

Off they went helter-skelter to the smiths, and the
matter was soon arranged.

The smiths arrived with iron anvil and with heavy
hammers.

" Now," said the soldier, " take this nosebag and beat
it hard after the ancient manner of smiths."

So the smiths took the nosebag, and they began to
whisper to each other : " How fearfully heavy it is !
The devil must be in it."

The devils shrieked in answer : " Yes, we are there,
father — ^yes, we are there ! Kinsmen, help us ! "

So the smiths instantly laid the nosebag on the iron
anvil, and they began to knock it about with their ham-
mers as though they were hammering iron.

Very soon the devils saw that they could not possibly
stand such treatment, and they began to shriek : " Mercy
on us ! — mercy on us ! Let us out, discharged soldier,
into the free world. Unto all eternity we wiU not forget
you, and into this palace never a devil shall enter again.
We will forbid everybody — all of them — and drive them
all a hundred versts away."

So the soldier bade the smiths stop, and as soon as he
unbuckled the nosebag the devils rushed out, and flew
off, without looking, into the depths of heU — into the
abysses, of hell. But the soldier was no fool ; and as
they were flying out he laid hold of one old devil — ^laid
hold of him tight by his paw. " Come along," he said ;
" give me some written undertaking that you will always
serve me faithfully."

The unholy spirit wrote him out this undertaking in
his own blood, gave if him, and took to his heels.

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH loi

All the devils ran away into the burning pitch, and
got away as fast as they could with all their infernal
strength, both the old ones and the young ones ; and
henceforth they established guards all round the burning
pit and issued stern ordinances that the gates be con-
stantly guarded, in order that the soldier and the nosebag
might never draw near.

The soldier came to the Tsar, and he told him some
kind of tale how he had delivered the palace fjrom the
infernal visitation.

" Thank you," the Tsar, answered. " Stay here and
live with me. I will treat you as if you were my brother."

So the soldier went and stayed with the Tsar, and had
a sufficiency of all things, simply rolled in riches, and he
thought it was time he should marry. So he married,
and one year later God gave him a son. Then this boy
fell into such a fearful illness — so terrible that there was
nobody who could cure it — and it was beyond the skill
of the physicians ; there was no understanding of it.
The soldier then thought of the old devil and of the
undertaking he had given him, and how it had run in
the undertaking : " I shall serve you eternally as a faithful
servant." And he thought and said : " What is my old
devil doing ? "

Suddenly the same old devil appeared in front of him
and asked : " What does your worship desire ? "

And the soldier answered : " My little boy is very ill.
Do you know how to cure him ? "

So the devil fumbled in his pocket, got out a glass,
poured cold water into it, and put it over the head of
the sick child, and' told the soldier : " Come here, look
into the water." And the soldier looked at the water ;
and the devil asked him : " Well, what do you see ? "

" I see Death standing at my son's feet."

" Well, he is standing at his feet ; then he will survive.
If Death stands at his head, then he cannot live another

102 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

day." So the devil took the glass with the water in it.
and poured it over the soldier's son, and in that same
minute the son became well.

" Give me this glass," the soldier said, " and I shall
never trouble you for anything more." And the devil
presented him with the glass, and the soldier returned
him the undertaking.

Then the soldier became an enchanter, and set about
curing the boydrs and the generals. He would go and
look at the glass, and instantly he knew who had to die
and who should recover. Now, the Tsar himself became
iU, and the soldier was called in. So he poured cold
water into the glass, put it at the Tsar's head, and saw
that Death was standing at the Tsar's head.

The soldier said : " Your Imperial Majesty, there is
nobody in the world who can cure you. Death is standing
at your head, and you have only three hours left of Hfe."

When the Tsar heard this speech, he was furious with
the soldier. " What, what ! " he shrieked at him. " You
who have cured so many boydrs and generals, cannot do
anything for me ! I shall instantly have you put to
death."

So the soldier thought and thought what he should
do. And he began to beseech Death. " O Death," he
said, " give the Tsar my life and take me instead, for it
doesn't matter to me whether I live or die ; for it is
better to die by my own death than to suffer such a
cruel punishment."

And he looked in the glass, and saw that Death was
standing at the Tsar's feet. Then the soldier took the
water and sprinkled the Tsar, and he recovered com-
pletely. " Now, Death," said the soldier, " give me
only three hours' interval in order that I may go home
and say farewell to my wife and my son."

" Well, you may have three hours. Go," Death
replied.

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH 103

So the soldier went away home, lay down on his bed,
and became very ill.

And when Death was standing very near him, she said,
" Now, discharged soldier, say good-bye quickly — ^you
have only three minutes left to live in the bright world."

So the soldier stretched himself out, took his nosebag
from under his head, opened it, and asked : " What is
this ? "

Death answered : " A nosebag."

" Well, if it is a nosebag, then jump into it ! "

And Death instantly jumped straight into the bag.
And the soldier, ill as he was, jumped up from his bed,
buckled the nosebag together firmly, very tightly, threw
it on his shoulder, and went into the Bryanski Woods,
the slumbrous forest. And he went there, and he hung
this bag on the bitter aspen, on the very top twig, and
he went back home.

From that day forward nobody died in that kingdom :
they were born, and they kept on being born, and they
never died. And very many years went by, and the
soldier never took his nosebag down. One day he hap-
pened to go into the town. He went, and on his way he
met such an old, old lady, so old that on whichever side
the wind blew, she inclined. " Oh, what an old lady ! "
the soldier said. " Why, it is almost time she died."

" Yes, father," the old dame replied. " The time has
come and gone long since. At the time when you put
Death into the nosebag I had only one hour left in which
to live in the white world. I should be very glad to have
some rest ; but unless I die, earth will not take me up ;
and you, discharged soldier, are guilty of an unforgivable
sin in God's eyes. For there is no single soul left on
earth who is tortured as I am." ,

Then the soldier stayed and began to think. " Yes,
yes ; it would be better to let Death out ; perhaps I,
too, niight die. And beyond this, too, I have many sins

104 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

on my conscience. Thus it is better now whilst I am
still strong and I bear pain on this earth ; for when I
shall become very old then it will be all the worse for
me to suffer anything."

So he got up and he went up into the Bryansk! Woods,
and he went up to the aspen, and saw there the nosebag
was hanging very high, shaking in the winds to all sides.
" Oh, you Death," he says, " are you still alive ? "

A faint voice came out of the nosebag : " Yes, father,
I am alive."

So the soldier took the nosebag, opened it, and he let
out Death.

And he himself lay down on his bed, bade farewell to
his wife and son, and he begged Death that he might
die. And she* ran outside the door with all the strength
in her feet. " Go ! " she cried. " It is the devils who
shall slay you — I shall not slay you ! "

So the soldier remained alive and healthy. And he
thought : " Shall I go straight into the burning pitch,
for then the devils will throw me into the seething
sulphur until such time as my sins shall have been
melted from off me." And he bade farewell from all,
and he went with the knapsack in his hand straight into
the burning pitch.

And he went on : may-be near, may-be far, may-be
downhill, may-be uphill, may-be short, may-be long ;
and he at last arrived in the abyss, and he looked, and
all round the burning cauldron there stood watchmen.
As soon as he stopped at the gate a devil asked who was
coming.

" A guilty soul to be tortured."

" Why do you come ? What are you carrying with
you ? "

" Oh, a nosebag."

And the devil shrieked out of his full throat and made

* Death is feminine in Russian.

THE SOLDIER AND DEATH 105

a tremendous stir. All the infernal powers roused them-
selves and looked out of the gates and windows with
their unbreakable bolts.

And the soldier went all round the cauldron, and he
called out to the master of the cauldron : " Let me in,
please ; do let me into the cauldron. I have come to
you to be tortured for my sins."

" No, I will not let you in. Go away wherever you
will — there is no room for you here."

" Well, if you will not let me in to be tortured, at
least give me two hundred souls. I will take them up to
God, and perhaps the Lord will pardon my faults."

And the master of the cauldron answered : " I will
add fifty more souls to the lot ; only do go away ! " So
he instantly ordered two hundred and fifty souls to be
counted out and to be taken to the rear gates in order
that the soldier might not see him.

So the soldier gathered up the guilty souls, and he
went up to the gates of Paradise.

The Apostles saw him, and said to the Lord : " Some
soldier or other has come up here with two hundred and
fifty souls from hell ! "

" Take them into Paradise, but do not let the soldier
in."

But the soldier had given up his nosebag to one guilty
sovd, and had told it : " Just look here. When you enter
the gates of Paradise, say at once : ' Soldier, jump into
the nosebag ! ' "

Then the gates of Paradise opened, and the souls
began to go in ; and this guilty soul also went in, and for
sheer joy forgot all about the soldier.

Thus the soldier was left behind, and could not find
any home in either place, and for long after that he still
had to live and go on living in the white world. And
after very many days he died.

THE MIDNIGHT DANCE

Once upon a time there was a king who was a widower.
He had twelve daughters : each was fairer than the
others. Every night these princesses went where nobody
knew : it was only for twenty-four hours, and they
always wore out a new pair of shoes. Now the king
had no shoes ready for them, and he wanted to know
where they went at night and what they did. So he
made a feast ready, and he summoned all the kings and
korolevichi, all the boydrs, and the merchants and the
simple folk, to it, and he asked them, " Can any of you
guess this riddle ? Whoever guesses it I wiU give him
my beloved daughter as a wife and a half of my kingdom
as a dowry."

No one was able to find out where the princesses went
at night. Only one poor nobleman cried out, " Your
kingly Majesty, I will find out ! "

" Very well ; go and find out."

So then the poor nobleman began pondering and
saying to himself, " What have I done ? I have under-
taken to find out, and I don't know myself. If I don't
find out now, possibly the king will put me under arrest."

So he went out of the palace beyond the city, and
went on and on, and at last he met an old woman on the
road who asked him, " What are you thinking of, doughty
youth ? "

And he answered, " How should I, Babushka, not
become thoughtful ? I have undertaken to discover for
the king where his daughters go by night."

" Oh, this is a difficult task, but it can be done. Here,

io5

THE MIDNIGHT DANCE 107

I will give you the cap of invisibility ; with that you
cannot be seen. Now, remember, when you go to sleep
the princesses wiU pour a sleeping-draught out for you :
you turn to the wall and pour it into the bed and do
not drink it."

So the poor nobleman thanked the old woman and
returned to the palace. Night-time approached and
they gave him a room next to that in which the princesses
slept. So he lay on the bed and began to keep watch.
Then one of the princesses brought sleeping-drugs in
wine and asked him to drink her health. He could not
refuse, and so he took the goblet, turned to the wall,
and poured it into the bed. At midnight the princesses
went to look whether he was asleep or not. Then the
poor nobleman pretended to be as sound asleep as a log,
and himself kept a keen look out for every noise.

" Now, sisters, our watchman has gone to sleep : it
is time we set out on our promenade : it is time."

So they all put on their best clothes, and the elder
sister went to her bedside, moved the bed, and an
entrance into the subterranean realm instantly opened
up beneath, leading to the home of the Accursed Tsar.

They all went down a flight of stairs, and the poor
nobleman quietly got off his bed, put on the cap of
invisibility, and followed them. He, without noticing,
touched the youngest princess's dress : she was frightened
and said to her sisters, " O my sisters, somebody has
stepped on my dress. This is a foretokening of woe."

" Nonsense ; it does not mean anything of the sort ! "

So they all went down the flight of steps into a grove,
and in that grove there were golden flowers. Then the
poor nobleman broke off and plucked a single sprig, and
the entire grove rustled.

" Oh, sisters," said the youngest sister, " some un-
fortunate thing is injuring us. Did you hear how the
grove rustled ? "

io8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Do not fear ; this is the music in the Accursed Tsar's
realm."

So they went into the Tsar's palace. He, with his
lacqueys, met them ; music sounded ; and they began
dancing : and they danced until their shoes were worn
thin. Then the Tsar bade wine to be served to his
guests. The poor nobleman took a single goblet from
under his nose, poured out the wine, and put the cup
into his pocket.

At last the rout was over, and the princesses bade
farewell to their cavaliers, promised to come another
night, turned back home, undressed and lay down to
sleep.

Then the king summoned the poor nobleman, and
asked him, " Did you keep watch on my daughters ? "

" Yes, I did, your Majesty."

" Where did they go ? "

" Into the subterranean realm, to the Accursed Tsar,
where they danced all night long."

So the king summoned his daughters, and began cross-
examining them. " Where do you go at night ? "

So the princesses tried a feint : " We have not been
anywhere."

" Were you not with the Accursed Tsar ? There is
this poor nobleman who can turn evidence on you. He
is able to convict you."

" What do you mean, batyushka ? He can convict us
when all night he slept the sleep of the dead ? "

Then the poor nobleman brought the golden flower
out of his pocket, and the goblet, and said, " There is
the testimony."

What could they do ? The princesses had to ac-
knowledge their guilt, and the king bade the entrance to
the subterranean realm be slated up. And he married
the poor nobleman to the youngest daughter, and they
lived happily ever after.

VASILISA THE FAIR

Once upon a time there was a merchant who had been
married for twelve years and had only one daughter,
Vasilisa the Fair. When her mother died the girl was
eight years old. On her death-bed the mother called
the maiden to her, took a doll out of her counterpane,
said : " Vasilisushka, hear my last words. I am dying,
and I will leave you my mother's blessing and this doll.
Keep this doll always by you, but show it to nobody,
and no misfortune can befall you. , Give it food and ask
it for advice. After it has eaten, it will tell you how to
avoid your evil." Then the wife kissed her daughter
and died.

After the wife's death the merchant mourned as it
behoved, and then he thought of a second wife. He was
a handsome man and found many brides, but he liked
one widow more than any one. She was no longer
young, and had two daughters of about the same age as
Vasilisa. So she was an experienced housewife and mother.
The merchant married her, but he had made a mistake,
for she was no good mother to his own daughter.

Vasilisa was the fairest damsel in the entire village,
and the stepmother and the sisters envied her therefore.
And they used to torture her by piling all the work they
could on her, that she might- grow thin and ugly, and
might be tanned by the wind and the sun. And the
child lived a hard life. Vasilisa, however, did all her
work without complaining, and always grew more beauti-
ful and plumper, while the stepmother and her daughters,
out of sheer spite, grew thinner and uglier. Yet there

109

no RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

they sat all day long with their hands folded, just like
fine ladies. How could this be ?

It was the doll that had helped Vasilisa. Without her
the maiden could never have done her task. Vasilisa
often ate nothing herself, and kept the tastiest morsels
for the doll ; and when at night they had all gone to
bed, she used to lock herself up in her cellaret below,
give the doll food to eat, and say, " DoUet, eat and listen
to my misery. I am living in my father's house, and my
lot is hard. My evil stepmother is torturing me out of
the white world. Teach me what I must do in order to
bear this life."

Then the doll gave her good advice, consoled her,
and did all her morning's work for her. Vasilisa was
told to go walking, plucking flowers ; and all her flower-
beds were done in time, all the coal was brought in, and
the water-jugs carried in, and the hearthstone was hot.
Further, the doll taught her herb-lore ; so, thanks to her
doll, she had a merry life ; and the years went by.

Vasilisa grew up, and all the lads in the village sought
her. But the stepmother's daughters nobody would
look at ; and the stepmother grew more evil than ever
and answered all her suitors : "I will not give my eldest
daughter before I give the elders." So she sent aU the
bargainers away, and to show how pleased she was,
rained blows on Vasilisa.

One day the merchant had to go away on business for
a long time ; so the stepmother in the meantime went
over to a new house near a dense, slumbrous forest. In
the forest there was a meadow, and on the meadow there
was a hut, and in the hut Baba Yaga lived, who would
not let anybody in, and ate up men as though they were
poultry. Whilst she was moving, the stepmother sent
her hated stepdaughter into the wood, but she always
came back perfectly safe, for the doU showed her the
way by which she could avoid Baba Yaga's hut.

VASILlSA THE FAIR iii

So one day the harvest season came and the stepmother
gave all three maidens their task for the evening : one
was to make lace and the other to sew a stocking, and
Vasilisa was to spin. Each was to do a certain amount.
The mother put all the fires out in the entire house,
and left only one candle burning where the maidens
were at work, and herself went to sleep. The maidens
worked on. The candle burned down, and one of the
stepmother's daughters took the snuffers in order to cut
down the wick. But the stepmother had told her to
put the light out as though by accident.

" What is to be done now ? " they said. " There is
no fire in the house and our work is not finished. We
must get a light from the Baba Yaga."

" I can see by the needles," said the one who was
making lace.

" I also am not going," said the second, " for my
knitting needles give me light enough. You must go
and get some fire. Go to the Baba Yaga ! " And they
turned Vasilisa out of the room.

And Vasilisa went to her room, put meat and drink
before her doU, and said : " DoUy dear, eat it and listen
to my complaint. They are sending me to Baba Yaga
for fire, and the Baba Yaga will eat me up."

Then the DoUet ate, and her eyes glittered like two
lamps, and she said : " Fear nothing, Vasilisushka. Do
what they say, only take me with you. As long as I am
with you Baba Yaga can do you no harm." Vasilisa put
the doll into her pocket, crossed herself, and went
tremblingly into the darksome forest.

Suddenly a knight on horseback galloped past her all
in white. His cloak was white, and his horse and the
reins : and it became light. She went further, and
suddenly another horseman passed by, who was all in
red, and his horse was red, and his clothes : and the sun
rose. Vasilisa went on through the night and the next

112 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

day. Next evening she came to the mead where Baba
Yaga's hut stood. The fence round the hut consisted
of human bones, and on the stakes skeletons glared out
of their empty eyes. And, instead of the doorways and
the gate, there were feet, and in the stead of bolts there
were hands, and instead of the lock there was a mouth
with sharp teeth. And Vasilisa was stone-cold with
fright.

Suddenly another horseman pranced by on his way.
He was all in black, on a jet-black horse, with a jet-black
cloak. He sprang to the door and vanished as though
the earth had swallowed him up : and it was night.
But the darkness did not last long, for the eyes in all the
skeletons on the fence glistened, and it became as light
as day all over the green.

Vasilisa trembled with fear, but remained standing,
for she did not know how she could escape. Suddenly
a terrible noise was heard in the forest, and the tree-
boughs creaked and the dry leaves crackled. And out of
the wood Baba Yaga drove in inside the mortar with the
pestle, and with the broom swept away every trace of
her steps. At the door she stopped, sniffed aU the way
round, and cried out :

" Fee, Fo, Fi, Fum, I smell the blood of a Russian mum ! '

Who is there ? "

Vasilisa, shuddering with dread, stepped up to her,
bowed low to the ground, and said : " Mother, I am
here. My stepmother's daughters sent me to you to
ask for fire."

" Very well," said Baba Yaga : " I know them. Stay
with me, work for me, and I will give you fire. Other-
wise I shall eat you up."

Then she went to the door, and she cried out : " Ho !
my strong bolts, draw back, my strong door, spring
open ! " And the door sprang open, and Baba Yaga

VASILISA THE FAIR 113

went in whistling and whirring, and Vasilisa followed
her.

Then the door closed, and Baba Yaga stretched herself
in the room and said to Vasilisa : " Give me whatever
there is in the oven. I am hungry."

So Vasilisa Kt a splinter from the skulls on the hedge
and fetched Baba Yaga food out of the oven, and there
was food enough there for ten men. Out of a cellar she
fetched kvas, mead, and wine. Baba Yaga ate and drank
it all up. But all there was left for Vasilisa was a little of
some kind of soup, and a crust of bread, and a snippet
of pork.

Baba Yaga lay down to sleep and said : " In the
morning, to-morrow, when I go away you must clean
the courtyard, brush out the room, get dinner ready,
do the washing, go to the field, get a quarter of oats,
sift it all out, and see that it is all done before I come
home. Otherwise I will eat you up."

And, as soon as ever she had given all the orders, she
began snoring.

Vasilisa put the rest of the dinner in front of the doll
and said : " DoUet, eat it up and listen to my woe.
Heavy are the tasks which the Baba Yaga has given me,
and she threatens to eat me up if I don't carry them all
out. Help me ! "

" Have no fear, Vasilisa, thou fair maiden. Eat, pray,
and lie down to sleep, for the morning is wiser than the
evening."

Very early next day Vasilisa woke up. Baba Yaga was
already up and was looking out of the window. The
glimmer in the eyes of the skulls had dimmed ; the
white horseman raced by : and it dawned. Baba Yaga
went into the courtyard, and whistled, and the mortar,
the pestle, and the besom appeared at once, and the red
horseman came by: and the sun rose. Baba Yaga sat
in the mortar and went by, thrusting the mortar with

114 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

the pestle, and with the besom she removed every trace
of her steps.

Vasilisa, left all by herself, looked over the house of
the Baba Yaga, wondered at all the wealth gathered in,
and began to consider what she should start with. But
all the work was already done, and the doll had sifted
out the very last of the ears of oats.

" Oh, my saviour ! " said Vasilisa. " You have helped
me in my great need."

" You now have only to get dinner ready," the doll
answered, and clambered back into Vasilisa's pocket.
" With God's help get it ready, and stay here quietly
waiting."

In the evening Vasilisa laid the cloth and waited for
Baba Yaga. The gloaming came, and the black horseman
reached by : and it at once became dark, but the eyes
in the skulls glowed. The trees shuddered, the leaves
crackled, Baba Yaga drove in, and Vasilisa met her.

" Is it all done ? " Baba Yaga asked.

" Yes, grandmother : look ! " said Vasilisa.

Baba Yaga looked round everywhere, and v/as rather
angry that she had nothing to find fault with and said :
" Very well." Then she cried out : " Ye my faithful
servants, friends of my heart ! Store up my oats."
Then three pairs of hands appeared, seized the oats and
carried them off.

Baba Yaga had her supper, and, before she went to
sleep, once more commanded Vasilisa:, "To-morrow
do the same as you did to-day, but also take the hay
which is lying on my field, clean it from every trace of
soil, every single ear. Somebody has, out of spite, mixed
earth with it."

And, as soon as she had said it, she turned round to
the wall and was snoring.

V?.silisa at once fetched her doll, who ate, and said as
the had the day before : " Pray and lie down to sleep,

VASILISA THE FAIR 115

for the morning is wiser than the evening. Everything
shall be done, Vasilisushka."

Next morning Baba Yaga got up and stood at the
window, and then went into the courtyard and whistled ;
and the mortar, the besom, and the pestle appeared at
once, and the red horseman came by : and the sun rose.
Baba Yaga sat in the mortar and went off, sweeping
away her traces as before.

Vasilisa got everything ready with the help of her doll.
Then the old woman came back, looked over everything,
and said : " Ho, my faithful servants, friends of my
heart ! Make me some poppy-oil." Then three pairs of
hands came, laid hold of the poppies and carried them off.

Baba Yaga sat down to supper, and Vasilisa sat silently
in front of her. " Why do you not speak ; why do you
stay there as if you were dumb ? " Baba Yaga asked.

" I did not venture to say anything ; but if I might,
I should Hke to ask some questions."

" Ask, but not every question turns out well : too
knowing is too old."

" Still, I should like to ask you of some things I saw.
On my way to you I met a white horseman, in a white
cloak, on a white horse : who was he ? "

" The bright day."

" Then a red horseman, on a red horse, in a red cloak,
overtook me : who was he ? "

" The red sun."

" What is the meaning of the blick horseman who
overtook me as I reached your door, grandmother ? "

" That was the dark night. Those are my faithful
servants."

Vasilisa then thought of the three pairs of hands and
said nothing.

" Why don't you ask any further ? " Baba Yaga asked.

" I know enough, for you say yourself ' too knowing
is too old.' "

ii6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" It is well you asked only about things you saw in the
courtyard, and not about things without it, for I do not
like people to tell tales out of school, and I eat up every-
body who is too curious. But now I shall ask you, how
did you manage to do all the work I gave you ? "

" By my mother's blessing ! "

" Ah, then, get off with you as fast as you can, blessed
daughter ; no one blessed may stay with me ! "

So she turned Vasilisa out of the room and kicked her
to the door, took a skull with the burning eyes from the
fence, put it on a staff, gave it her and said, " Now you
have fire for your stepmother's daughters, for that was
why they sent you here."

Then Vasilisa ran home as fast as she could by the
light of the skull ; and the flash in it went out with the
dawn.

By the evening of the next day she reached the house,
and was going to throw the skuU away, when she heard
a hollow voice coming out of the skull and saying : " Do
not throw me away. Bring me up to your stepmother's
house." And she looked at her stepmother's house and
saw that there was no light in any window, and decided
to enter with the skull. She was friendlily received, and
the sisters told her that ever since she had gone away
they had had no fire ; they were able to make none ;
and all they borrowed of their neighbours'went out as
soon as it came into the room.

" Possibly your fire may burn ! " said the stepmother.

So they took the skuU into the room, and the burning
eyes looked into the stepmother's and the daughters'
and singed their eyes out. Wherever they went, they
could not escape it, for the eyes followed them every-
where, and in the morning they were^all^^burned to
cinders. Vasilisa alone was left alive.

Then Vasilisa buried the skull in the earth, locked the
house up, and went into the town. And she asked a

VASILISA THE FAIR 117

poor old woman to take her home and to give her food
until her father came back ; she said to the old woman,
" Mother, sitting here idle makes me feel dull. Go and
buy me some of the very best flax ; I should Hke to
spin."

So the old woman went and bought good flax. Vasilisa
set herself to work, and the work went merrily along,
arid the skein was as smooth and as fine as hair, and when
she had a great deal of yarn, no one would undertake
the weaving, so she turned to her doU, who said : " Bring
me some old comb from somewhere, some old spindle,
some old shuttle, and some horse mane ; and I will do
it for you."

Vasilisa went to bed, and the doll in that night made
a splendid spinning stool ; and by the end of the winter
all the linen had been woven, and it was so fine that it
could be drawn like a thread through the eye of a needle.
And in the spring they bleached the linen, and Vasilisa
said to the old mistress : " Go and sell the cloth, and
keep the money for yourself."

The old woman saw the cloth and admired it, and
said : " Oh, my child ! nobody except the Tsar could
ever wear such fine linen ; I will take it to Court."

The old woman went to the Tsar's palace, and kept
walking up and down in front of it.

The Tsar saw her and said : " Oh, woman, what do
you want ? "

" Almighty Tsar, I am bringing you some wonderful
goods, which I wiU show to nobody except you."

The Tsar ordered the old woman to be given audience,
and as soon as ever he had seen the linen he admired it
very much. " What do you want for it ? " he asked her.

" It is priceless, Batyushka," she said ; " I will give
it you as a present."

And the Tsar thought it over and sent her away with
rich rewards.

ii8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Now the Tsar wanted to have shirts made out of this
same Hnen, but he could not find any seamstress to under-
take the work. And he thought for long, and at last he
sent for the old woman again, and said : " If you can
spin this linen and weave it, perhaps you can make a
shirt out of it ? "

" I cannot weave and spin the linen," said the old
woman ; " only a maiden can who is staying with me."

" Well, she may do the work."

So the woman went home and told Vasilisa everything.

" I knew that I should have to do the work ! " said
Vasilisa. And she locked herself up in her little room,
set to work, and never put her hands again on her lap
until she had sewn a dozen shirts.

The old woman brought the Tsar the shirts, and
Vasilisa washed and combed herself, dressed herself, and
sat down at the window, and waited. Then there came
a henchman of the Tsar's, entered the room and said :
" The Tsar would fain see the artist who has sewn him
the shirts, and he wants to reward her with his own
hands."

Vasilisa the Fair went to the Tsar. When he saw her,
he fell deep in love with her. " No, fairest damsel ; I
will never part from you. You must be my wife."

So the Tsar took Vasilisa, with her white hands, put
her next to him, and bade the bells ring for the wedding.

Vasilisa's father came back home, and was rejoiced at
her good luck, and stayed with his daughter.

Vasilisa also took the old woman to live with her, and
the doll ever remained in her pocket.

THE ANIMALS IN THE PIT

A Pig was going to. church at St. Petersburg, and the
Wolf met him.

" ^^§§7' -Piggy' where are you faring ? "

" To St. Petersburg, to pray to God."

" Take me with ! "

" Come along, Gossip."

So they went on together, and met the Vixen.

" Pig, where are you going ? "

" To St. Petersburg, so please you."

" Take me with ! "

" Come along. Gossip."

So they went on together and met the Hare, who said,
" Piggy, Piggy? where are you going ? "

" On to St. Petersburg, to pray to God ? "

" Very well, take me with."

" Very well, Slant-eyes, I will."

Then they met the Squirrel, who also went with them.
But on their road they came across a broad, deep pit.
The Pig jumped and tumbled in, and after him the
Wolf, the Fox, the Hare and the Squirrel.

And they sat there for a long time, and became very
hungry, for they had nothing to eat.

" Let's all begin singing," said the Vixen, " and we
will eat the animal who has the thinnest voice."

So the Wolf struck in a deep gruff voice. Aw, aw, aw !
And the Pig followed in a tone just a shade softer, Oo,
oo, oo ! But the Vixen came in fine and sharp, Eh, eh,
eh ; whilst the Hare triUed the thinnest Ee, ee, ee in the
world. The Squirrel also sang Ee, ee, ee ! So the

119

120 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

animals at once set-to tearing up the Squirrel and Hare,
and ate them down to their bones.

Next day the Vixen said : " We will eat the person
with the fattest voice." That was the Wolf with his
great gruff Aw, aw, aw ! So they ate him up. The
Vixen ate up the flesh and kept the heart and the bowels,
And for three days she sat and ate them.

And the Pig then asked her : " What are you eating ?
— give me some ! "

" Oh, Pig, I am eating my own flesh. You tear your
belly up and munch it yourself."

So the Pig did, and the Vixen feasted on him. .

The Vixen then was left as the last person in the pit.

Did she climb up, or is she there still ? I don't know,
really !

THE POOR WIDOW

A VERY long time ago Christ and the twelve Apostles
walked on earth. They went about like simple people,
and nobody could have known that it was Christ and
the twelve Apostles.

Once they came to a village and they asked a rich
peasant for a ^bed. The rich peasant would not let
them in, telling them. : " Over there there lives a widow
who receives beggars ; go to her." So they asked the
widow for a night's rest, and the widow was poor, poor
of the poorest ; she had nothing at all. , She had only a."
very little crust of bread and a mere handful of flour. .
and she also had a cow, but the cow had no milk.

' " Yes, fathers," the widow said, " my little hut is
very small, and there is nowhere to lie down."

" Never mind ; we can manage somehow ! " -

So the widow received the wanderers, and did not
know how to feed them.

" How shall I feed you ? " the widow said. " I only
have one little crust of bread and a mere handful of
flour, and my cow is calving and has no milk. I have to
wait for her to calve. You cannot look for bread and
salt here."

" Well, woman," the Saviour said, " have no fear —
we shall all be satisfied. Give us all you have. We
will eat the crust. Everything, woman, comes of
God."

So they sat down to table and began to feast, and they
were all fed on the one crust of bread. There were
even crumbs left behind.

121

122 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Lo and behold ! woman, you said that there was
nothing to feed us on," the Saviour said. " Look, we
are all satisfied, and there are some crumbs over. Every-
thing, woman, comes of God ! " And so Christ and the
Apostles stayed with the poor widow.

In the morning the widow told her sister : " Go and
scrape up any flour you can find in the corn-bin ; possibly
we may make a tiny pancake so as to feed our guests."
The girl went and brought up a clay pot full. The old
woman was not astonished when so much came — she
simply took it as it came and started making a pancake.
And the girl told her : " There is as much again in the
corn-bin." So the woman cooked the pancake for the
Saviour and the twelve Apostles, telling them : " Come
and eat of the good fare, Idnsmen, which God has sent."
And so they ate and bade farewell to the aged widow
and went on the road.

And when they were on the way there was a grey wolf
sitting on a knoU. He bowed low to Christ and asked for
food.

" Lord," he bayed, " I am hungry. Lord, I should
like to eat."

" Go," said the Saviour to him, " to the old widow
and eat her cow with the calf."

And the Apostles were astonished and said : " Lord,
why do you bid him snatch the poor widow's cow ? She
received you so kindly and fed us, and she was so happy
in the expectation of the calf, for then the cow would
have had milk, which is food for every home."

" That is how it must be," the Saviour replied. And
they went on.

The wolf ran and snatched up the poor widow's cow,
and when the old woman saw this she said contentedly :
" The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away.
Hallowed be His will ! "

So Christ and the Apostles went on, and they met a

THE POOR WIDOW 123

keg with money in it on the way. The Saviour said :
" Keg, go and roll to the rich peasant's door."

And again the Apostles were astonished.

" Lord, it would have been better had you bidden
the keg roll to the poor widow's door, for the rich man
has so much."

" That is how it must be," the Saviour said. And
they went on.

And the keg with the money in it rolled straight to
the rich peasant's door, and the peasant took and hid
the money and was stiU discontented. " Surely the
Lord might have sent me more," he mused.

Christ and the Apostles went on their way and travelled
still further. At midday the sun was very hot, and the
Apostles wanted to drink.

" Lord," they said, " we should like to drink."

" Go," replied the Saviour, " and on this road you
will find a well. There take your fill."

So the Apostles went on and on and on, and they saw
a well. When they looked into it there was filth and
dirt, toads, snakes and frogs, and everything vile, and
the Apostles would not drink of it, and swiftly returned
to the Saviour.

" Why did you not drink the water ? " Christ asked
them.

" As you. Lord, told us, the well was there, but it
was so horrible that we could hardly look into it."

Christ answered never a word.

And they went forward on their road. They went on
and on and on, and the Apostles again said to the Saviour:
" We are thirsty."

So the Saviour sent them in another direction. " There
you will see a well. Go and drink your fill."

The Apostles went to the other well, and there it
was, beautiful — oh, so delightful ! Enchanted trees
were there and birds of paradise. They did not ever

124 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

want to leave it, and they drank o£ it, and the water was
so pure, so chilled, and so sweet. And they came back.

" Why have you been so long ? " the Saviour asked
them.

" Why, we only took a short drink," the Apostles
answered, " and we were only away three little minutes."

" You were not there three little minutes, but three
whole years," the Lord answered. " As it was in the
first well, so ill shall in the next world deal by the rich
peasant ; and as it was in the second well, so good shall
be the poor widow's fare."

ILYA MtJROMETSi AND SVYATOGOR
THE KNIGHT

From the famous city of Murom, out of the village of
Karacharovo, the valiant, doughty youth Ilya Muromets,
the son of Ivan, set out far into the open fields. The
valiant champion met on his way the mighty knight
Svyatogor ; and the good youth was afraid of him ;
the old Cossack, Ilya Muromets, was afraid of Svyatogor
the knight. So he set his horse to browse and himself
mounted a thick grey oak to avoid Svyatogor the knight.
Svyatogor the knight arrived under that same stout oak,
put up his white linen tent, and took his wife out of his
pocket. She spread out the chequered table-cloths and
put sugary food and honeyed drink for him to eat.
Svyatogor ate until he was sated, and drank until he was
satisfied, and lay down to repose.

Then the wife of the knight observed Ilya up in the
grey oak, and spoke to him in this wise : " Hail, valiant
and brave youth ; climb down from the grey oak. If
you do not climb down from the grey oak, you will
arouse Svyatogor the knight, and he will give you to
a speedy death."

So Ilya Muromets was afraid of Svyatogor, and slid
down from the grey oak.

And again she spoke in this wise : " Come and do

* llyi Muromets is one of the heroes of the Byliny : his great feat
is the slaying of the Nightingale Robber. This tale may be eponymous
of geography; Svyatog6r (Svydty Gory, Sacred Mountains) Murom is
on the river Oka, in the Province of Vladimir, 'one of the oldest cities
in Russia ; the village, of KaracMrovo is not far off.

125

126 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

fornication with me, good youth. If you do not, I will
arouse Svyatogor the knight, and he will give you to
a speedy death."

So he did as he was bidden and went with her into
the pocket of Svyatogor. Svyatogor arose from a sound
sleep, saddled his horse, and went to the Holy Moun-
tains. Then his horse began to sink fast into the earth,
until the knight dug his spurs into his horse's fat haunches..

Then the horse spoke with a human voice : " I have
carried you Svyatogor the knight and your young wife,
but I cannot carry two knights and your young wife as
well."

So then Svyatogor put his hand into the depths of
his pocket, took his young wife out, and discovered Ilya
Miiromets.

" How did you get into the depths of my pocket ? "

" Your young wife forced me in there ; she threat-
ened my life." And Ilya Miiromets told Svyatogor the
knight how he had fallen into the depths of the pocket.

So Svyatogor took his young wife, cut off her unruly
head, broke up her white body into four parts, and
scattered them on the bare fields.

Then Ilya and Svyatogor made themselves sworn
brothers, and they set out to the Holy Mountains.
They came to a deep tomb, and the tomb was decked
with red-gold. Svyatogor the knight lay down in that
tomb as if it had been built for him.

" Cover me over with boards, my sworn brother," he
said. And, as Ilya covered him over with boards, the
boards by Divine grace grew as they were required.
" Uncover me, my sworn brother ! "

But Ilya Miiromets had not the strength to uncover
him ; so he began to break the boards with his sword,
and wherever he brandished his sword, hoops arose in
his way.

" Take my sword, my sworn brother ! "

ILYA MUROMETS and SVYATOGOR 127

And Ilya took the sword, but had not the strength to
U£t it up.

" Come, my sworn brother, I will give you strength."

Ilya then went into the pit and Svyatogor breathed on
him with his knightly breath. Then Ilya took that sword,
and wherever he made a stroke, iron hoops arose around.

" Come to me a second time, my sworn brother ; I
will give you more strength."

Ilya Muromets said at once : " If I come down to you
again, then our mother the grey earth will not be able
to bear it : I have enough strength."

But Svyatogor answered : " If you had come down
again I should have breathed on you with a fatal breath,
and you would have lain down to sleep beside me."

So there Svyatogor the knight remains to this day.

THE SMITH AND THE DEVIL

Once upon a time there was a smith who had a son six
years old — a sturdy and sensible lad. One day the old
man was going into the church, and stood in front of a
picture of the Last Judgment. And he saw there was a
devil painted there so terrible, so black, with horns and
tail ! " What a fine devil ! " he thought. " I wdll go
and paint such a devil for myself in the smithy." So he
sent for a painter and told him to paint on the doors of
the smithy a devil who should be exactly the same as the
one he had seen in the church. This was done.

From this time forward, the old man, whenever he
went into the smithy, always looked at the devil and said,
" Hail, fellow-countryman ! " And soon after he would
go up to the forge, light the fire, and set to work. So he
went on living for some ten years on most excellent
terms with the devil. Then he fell iU and died. His son
succeeded him and took over the smithy. But he had no
such respect for the devil as his father had had. Whether
he went early to the smithy or not, nothing prospered ;
and, instead of greeting the devil kindly, he went and took
his very biggest hammer and knocked the devil three
times on his forehead, and then set to work. When a
holy feast-day came by, he went into the church and lit
a taper in front of the saints ; but, as he approached the
devil he spat on him. For three whole years this went
on ; and every day he greeted the unclean spirit with a
hammer and spat on him.

The devil was very patient, and endured all this mal-
treatment. At last it became beyond bearing, and he

128

THE SMITH AND THE DEVIL 129

would stand it no longer. " Time is up ! " he thought.
" I must put an end to such contemptuous treatment."
So the devil turned himself into a fine lad and came into
the smithy.

" How do you do, uncle ? " he said.

" Very well, thank you ! "

" Will you take me into the smithy as an apprentice ?
I will heat your coals and will blow the bellows."

Well, the smith was very glad. " I certainly will ! "
he said. " Two heads are better than one."

So the devil turned apprentice, and he lived a month
with him, and soon got to know all of the smith's work
better than the master himself ; and, whatever the
master could not do, he instantly carried out. Oh, it
was a fine sight, and the smith so grew to love him, and
was so content with him — I cannot tell you how much !

One day he did not come into the smithy, and left his
underling to do the work ; and it was aU done.

Once when the master was not at home, and only the
workman was left in the smithy, he saw an old rich lady
passing by. He bobbed out his head, and cried : " Hail
there ? There is new work to be done — old folks to be
turned into young ! "

Out skipped the old lady from her barouche and into
the smithy. " What are you saying you can do ? Is
that really true ? Do you mean it ? Are you mad ? "
she asked the boy.

" No reason to start lecturing me," the Evil Spirit
answered. " If I didn't know how I should not have
summoned you."

" What would it cost ? " the rich woman asked.

" It would cost five hundred roubles."

" Well, there is the money. Turn me into a young
woman ! "

The Evil Spirit took the money, and sent the coachman
into the village to get two buckets of milk. And he

130 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

seized tjie lady by the legs with the pinchers, threw her
into the forge, and burned her all up. Nothing but her
bones were left. When the two tubs of milk came, he
emptied them into a pail, collected all the bones, and
threw them into the milk. Lo and behold ! in three
minutes out the lady came, young — ^yes, alive and young,
and so beautiful !

She went and sat down in the barouche and drove
home, went up to her husband, and he fixed his eyes
on her, and didn't know his wife. " What's the matter ?
Have you lost your eyesight ? " the lady asked. " Don't
you see it is I, young and stately ; I don't want to have
an old husband. Go at once to the smith and ask him to
forge you young, and you won't know yourself ! "

What could the husband do ? Husbands must obey,
and so off he drove.

In the meantime, the smith had returned home and
went to the smithy. He went, and there was no sign of
his man. He looked for him everywhere, asked every-
body, questioned them, but it was no good, and all
trace had vanished. So he set to work by himself and
began hammering.

Then the husband drove up and said straight out to
the smith : " Make a young man of me, please ! "

" Are you in your senses, master ? How can I make a
young'man of you ? "

" Oh ! you know how to ! "

" I really have not any idea ! "

" Liar ! fool ! swindler ! Why, you turned my old
woman into a young one. Do the same by me, otherwise
life with her won't be worth living."

" But I have not seen your wife ! "

" Never mind ! — ^your young man saw her, and if he
understood how to manage the work, surely you, as the
craftsman, understand ! Set to work quickly, unless
you want to taste worse of me and be birched."

THE SMITH AND THE DEVIL 131

So the smith had no choice but to transform the master.
So he quietly asked the coachman what his man had
done with the lady, and thought : " Well, I don't mind !
I will do the same ; it may come out to the same tune,
or it may not. I must look out for myself."

So he stripped the lord to his skin, clutched his legs
up with nippers, threw him into the forge, began to
blow up the bellows, and burned him to ashes. After-
wards he threw the bones — ^hurled them all into the milk,
and began watching would a young master emerge from
the bath. And he waited one hour, and another hour, and
nothing happened, looked at the little tub — all the little
bones were floating about all burned to pieces.

And what was the lady doing ? She sent messengers
to the smithy. " When was the master to be turned out ?"
And the poor smith answered that the master had
wished her a long life. And you may imagine what they
thought of this. Soon she learned that all the smith
had done had been to burn her husband to bits and not
to make him young, and she was very angry indeed, sent
her body-servants, and ordered them to take the smith
to the gallows. The order was given, and the thing
was done. The attendants ran to the smith, laid hold
of him, and took him to the gallows.

Then the same young man who had acted as a hand
to the smith came and asked: " Where are they' taking
you, master ? "

" They are going to hang me ! " the smith said. And
he explained what had happened.

" Well, never mind, uncle ! " said the Unholy Spirit.
" Swear that you will never strike me with your hammer,
and I wiU secure you such honour as your father had.
The lady's husband shall arise young and in full health."

The smith swore and made oath that he would never
raise the hammer on the devil and would give him every
honour.

132 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Then the workman ran to the smithy, and soon
returned with the husband, crying out to the servants
to stop and not to hang the smith, for there the master
was ! He then untied the ropes and set the smith free.

And the youth thereafter never more spat on the devil
and beat him with a hammer. But his workman vanished
and was never seen again. The master and mistress hved
on and experienced good in their life, and they are still
alive, if they are not dead.

THE PRINCESS WHO WOULD NOT SMILE

If you think of it, what a big world God's world is :
in it rich and poor folk live, and there is room enough
for them all ; and the Lord overlooks and judges them
all. There are fine folk who have holidays, there are
wailful folk who must moil ; every man has his lot.

In the Tsar's palace, in the Prince's chamber, every
day the Princess Without a Smile grew fairer. What a
life she had, what plenty, what beauty round her !
There was enough of everything that exists that the
soul may desire, but she never smiled, never laughed,
and it seemed as though her heart could not rejoice at
anything.

It was a bitter thing for the Tsar her father to gaze
at his doleful daughter, He used to open his imperial
palace to whoever would be his guest. " Come," he
said, " come and try to enliven the Princess Without
a Smile : any one who succeeds shall gain her as his
wife." And as soon as he had said this all folk thronged
up at the gates of the palace, driving up from all sides,
coming on foot, Tsarevichi and princes' sons, boydrs
and noblemen, military folk and civil. Feasts were
celebrated, rivers of mead flowed, and the Princess
would not smile.

But, at the other end of the town, in his own little
hut, there dwelt an honourable labourer. Every morn-
ing he used to sweep out the courtyard : every evening
he used to pasture the cattle, and he was engaged in

133

134 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

ceaseless labour. His master was a rich man, a just man,
and he did not begrudge pay. When the year came to
an end he put a purse of money on the table, " Take,"
he said, " as much as you like " ; and the master went
outside.

The workman went up to the table and thought,
" How shall I not be guilty in the eyes of God if I take
too much for my labour ? " So he took only one little
coin, put it into the hollow of his hand and thought
he would have a little drink. So he went to the well, and
the coin slipped through his fingers and fell to the
bottom. So the poor fellow had nothing left. Now,
anybody else in his place would have cried out, would
have become melancholy and angry, might have put
his hands up. He did nothing of the sort. " Every-
thing," he said, " comes from God. The Lord knows
what He gives to each man, whose money He divides,
from whom He takes the last money. Evidently I have
given bad care, I have done Httle work ; and now am I
to become angry ? "

So he set to work once more. And all that his hand
touched flew like fire. Then, when the term was over,
when one year more had gone by, the master again put
a purse of money on the table : " Take," he said, " as
much as your soul desires " ; and he himself went out-
side.

Then again the labourer thought how he should not
offend God, how he should not take too much for his
work. So he took one coin and he went to have a little
drink at the well. In some way or other the money fell
from his hands and the coin tumbled into the well
and was lost.

So he set to work even more obstinately : at night he
would not sleep and by day he would not eat. Other
men saw their corn grow dry and yellow, but his master's
corn prospered amain. Some men's cattle became bow-

THE PRINCESS WHO WOULD NOT SMILE 135

legged, but his master's gambolled in the street. And
the horses of some masters fell downhill, but his master's
could not be kept to the bridle. The master knew very-
well whom he must thank, to whom he must render
gratitude. So, when the third year came to an end, he
laid a pile of money on the table : " Take, my dear man,
as much as your soul desires. It is your work, and it
is your money " ; and he went out of the room.

Once more the workman took a single coin, went to
the well for a drink of water and looked, and the lost
money floated up to the surface : so he took them, and
he then felt sure that God had rewarded him for his
labour. He was joyous and thought, " It is now the
time for me to go and look at the white world and to
learn of people.'' So he thought this, and he went out
whither his eyes gazed.

He went on to the field, and he saw a mouse running :
" My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin ; I will be
of service to you."

So he gave the mouse a coin.

Then he went to the forest, and a beetle crept up and
said, " My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin ; I
wiU be of service to you."

So he gave him the second coin.

Then he came up to the stream, and he met a sheat-
fish. " My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin ; I
shall be of service to you."

And he could not refuse him, so he gave his last coin.

So then he came into the city. Oh, it was so thronged !
All the doors were opened, and he looked, and the work-
man turned in all directions, and he did not know where
to go. In front of him stood the Tsar's palace decked
with gold and silver, and at the window the Tsarevna
Without a Smile sat and gazed on him straight. What
should he do ? The light in his eyes -turned dark, and
a sleep fell on him, and he fell straight into the mud.

136 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Up came the sheat-fish with his big whiskers, and after
him the beetle and the mouse : they all ran up, they
all pressed round him and did all the service they could.
The little mouse took his coat: the beetle cleaned his
boots, and the sheat-fish drove away the flies. The
Princess Without a Smile gazed on their services, and
she smiled.

" Who is he who has enlivened my daughter ? " cried
the King. One man said " I," and another man said

" No," said the Princess, " that is the man there " ;
and she pointed out the workman.

Instantly he was taken into the palace, and the wcwk-
man stood in the imperial presence, a youth such as
never was : then the Tsar kept his princely word and
gave what he had promised.

I am saying it. Was not this a mere dream ? Did not
the workman only dream it ? They assure me this is not
the fact, and that it all happened in real truth ; so you
must believe it.

THE TSAREVICH AND DYAD'KA^

Once upon a time, in a certain kingdom, in a city of
yore, there was a King who had a dwarf son. The
Tsarevich was fair to behold, and fair of heart. But his
father was not good : he was always tortured with
greedy thoughts, how he should derive greater profit
from his country and extract heavier taxes.

One day he saw an old peasant passing by with sable,
marten, beaver, and fox-skins ; and he asked him :
" Old man ! whence do you come ? "

" Out of the village. Father. I serve the Woodsprite
with the iron hands, the cast-iron head, and the body of
bronze."

" How do you catch so many animals J "

" The Woodsprite lays traps, and the animals are
stupid and go into them."

" Listen, old man ; I will give you gold and wine.
Show me where you put the traps."

So the old man was persuaded, and he showed the
King, who instantly had the Woodsprite arrested and
confined in a narrow tower. And in all the Woodsprite's
forests the King himself laid traps.

The Woodsprite-forester sat in his iron tower inside
the royal garden, and looked out through the window.
One day, the Tsarevich, with his nurses and attendants
and very many faithful servant-maids, went into the
garden to play. He passed the door, and the Wood-
sprite cried out to him : " Tsarevich, if you will set me
free, I will later on help you."

^ Affectionate term for old servant, equivalent to uncle.
137

138 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" How shaU I do this ? »

" Go to your mother and weep bitterly. Tell her :
' Please, dear Mother, scratch my head.' Lay your
head on her lap. Wait for the proper instant, take the
key of my tower out of her pocket, and set me free."

Ivan Tsarevich did what the Woodsprite had told him,
took the key ; then he ran into the garden, made an
arrow, put the arrow on a catapult, and shot it far away.
And all the nurses and serving-maids ran off to find the
arrow. Whilst they were all running after the arrow
Ivan Tsarevich opened the iron tower and freed the
Woodsprite. The Woodsprite escaped and destroyed
all the King's traps.

Now the King could not catch any more animals, and
became angry, and attacked his wife for giving the key
away and setting the Woodsprite free. He assembled
all the boydrs, generals, and senators to pronounce the
Queen's doom, whether she should have her head cut off,
or should be merely banished. So the Tsarevich was
greatly grieved ; he was sorry for his mother, and he
acknowledged his guilt to his father.

Then the King was very sorry, and didn't know what
to do to his son. He asked all the boydrs and generals,
and said : " Is he to be hanged or to be put into a
fortress ? "

" No, your Majesty ! " the boydrs, and generals, and
senators answered in one voice. " The scions of kings
are not slain, and are not put in prison ; they are sent
out into the white world to meet whatever fate God
may send them."

So Ivan Tsarevich was sent out into the white world,
to wander in the four directions, to suffer the midday
winds and the stress of the winter and the blasts of the
autumn ; and was given only a birch-bark wallet and
Dyad'ka, his servant.

So the King's son set out with his servant into the open

THE TSAREVICH AND DYAD'KA 139

fields. They went far and wide over hill and dale. Their
way may have been long, and it may have been short ;
and they at last reached a well. Then the Tsarevich
said to his servant, " Go and fetch me water."

" I will not go ! " said the servant.

So they went further on, and they once more came to
a well.

" Go and fetch me water — I feel thirsty," the
Tsarevich asked him a second time.

" I will not go."

Then they went on until they came to a third well.
And the servant again would not fetch any water. And
the Tsarevich had to do it himself. When the Tsarevich
had gone down into the well the servant shut down the
lid, and said : " You be my servant, and I will be the
Tsarevich ; or I wiU never let you come out ! "

The Tsarevich could not help himself, and was forced
to give way ; and signed the bond to his servant in his
own blood. Then they changed clothes and rode on,
and came to another land, where they went to the
Tsar's court, the servant-man first, and the King's son
after.

The servant-man sat as a guest with the Tsar, ate and
drank at his table. One day he said : " Mighty Tsar,
send my servant into the kitchen ! "

So they took the Tsarevich as scullion, let him draw
water and hew wood. But very soon the Tsarevich was
a far finer cook than all the royal chefs. Then the Tsar
noticed and began to like his young scullion, and gave him
gold. So all the cooks became envious and sought some
opportunity of getting rid of the Tsarevich. One day he
made a cake and put it into the oven, so the cooks put
poison in and spread it over the cake. And the Tsar sat
at table, and the cake was taken up. When the Tsar was
going to take it, the cook came running up, and cried
out : " Your Majesty, do not eat it ! " And he told all

140 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

imaginable lies o£ Ivan Tsarevich. Then the King
summoned his favourite hound and gave him a bit of the
cake. The dog ate it and died on the spot.

So the Tsar summoned the Prince and cried out to him
in a thundering voice : " How dared you bake me a
poisoned cake ! You shall be instantly tortured to
death ! "

*' I knovsr nothing about it ; I had no idea of it, your
Majesty ! " the Tsarevich ansvs^ered. " The other cooks
were jealous of your rewarding me, and so they have
deliberately contrived the plot."

Then the Tsar pardoned him, and he made him a
horseherd.

One day, as the Tsarevich was taking his drove to
drink, he met the Woodsprite with the iron hands, the
cast-iron head, and the body of bronze. " Good-day,
Tsarevich ; come with me, visit me."

" I am frightened that the horses will run away."

" Fear nothing. Only come."

His hut was quite near. The Woodsprite had three
daughters, and he asked the eldest : " What will you give
Ivan Tsarevich for saving me out of the iron tower ? "

" I will give him this table-cloth."

With the table-cloth Ivan Tsarevich went back to his
horses, which were all gathered together, turned it round
and asked for any food that he Uked, and he was served,
and meat and drink appeared at once.

Next day he was again driving his horses to the river,
and the Woodsprite appeared once more. " Come into
my hut ! "

So he went with him. And the Woodsprite asked his
second daughter, " What will you give Ivan Tsarevich
for saving me out of the iron tower ? "

" I will give him this mirror, in which he can see all
he will."

And on the third day the third daughter gave him a

THE TSAREVICH AND DYAD'KA 141

pipe, which he need only put to his Kps, and music, and
singers, and musicians would appear before him.

And it was a merry life that Ivan Tsarevich now led.
He had good food and good meat, knew whatever was
going on, saw everything, and he had music all day long :
no man was better. And the horses ! They — ^it was really
wonderful — ^were always well fed, well set-up, and
shapely.

Now, the fair Tsarevna had been noticing the horse-
herd for a long time, for a very long time, for how could
so fair a maiden overlook the beautiful boy ? She
wanted to know why the horses he kept were always so
much shapelier and statelier than those which the other
herds looked after. " I wiU one day go into his room,"
she said, " and see where the poor devil lives." As every
one knows, a woman's wish is soon her deed. So one day
she weiit into his room, when Ivan Tsarevich was giving
his horses drink. And there she saw the mirror, and
looking into that she knew everything. She took the
magical cloth, the mirror, and the pipe.

Just about then there was a great disaster threatening
the Tsar. The seven-headed monster, Idolishche, was
invading his land and demanding his daughter as his
wife. " If you will not give her to me willy, I will take
her nilly ! " he said. And he got ready all his immense
army, and the Tsar fared ill. And he issued a decree
throughout his land, summoned the boydrs and knights
together, and promised any who would slay the seven-
headed monster half of his wealth and half his realm, and
also his daughter as his wife.

Then all the princes and knights and the boydrs
assembled together to fight the monster, and amongst
them Dyad'ka. The horseherd sat on a pony and rode
behind.

Then the Woodsprite came and met him, and said ;

Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich ? "

142 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" To the war."

" On this sorry nag you will not do much, and still less
if you go in your present guise. Just come and visit me."

He took him into his hut and gave him a |;lass of
vodka. Then the King's son drank it. " Do you feel
strong ? " asked the Woodsprite.

" If there were a log there fifty puds, I could throw it
up and allow it to fall on my head without feeling the
blow."

So he was given a second glass of vodka.

" How strong do you feel now ? "

" If there were a log here one hundred puds, I could
throw it higher than the clouds on high."

Then he was given a third glass of vodka.

" How strong are you now ? "

" If there were a column stretching from heaven to
earth, I should turn the entire universe round."

So the Woodsprite took vodka out of another bottle
and gave the King's son yet more drink, and his strength
was increased sevenfold. They went in front of the
house ; and he whistled loud, and a black horse rose out
of the earth, and the earth trembled imder its hoofs.
Out of its nostrils it breathed flames, columns of smoke
rose from its ears, and as its hoofs struck the ground
sparks arose. It ran up to the hut and fell on its Imees.

" There is a horse ! " said the Woodsprite. And he
gave Ivan Tsarevich a sword and a silken whip.

So Ivan Tsarevich rode out on his black steed against
the enemy. On the way he met his servant, who had
climbed a birch-tree and was trembling for fear. Ivan
Tsarevich gave him a couple of blows with his whip,
and started out against the hostile host. He slew many
people with the sword, and yet more did his horse
trample down. And he cut off the seven heads of the
monster.

Now Marfa Tsarevna was seeing all this, because Ihe

THE TSAREVICH AND DYAD'KA 143

kept looking in the glass, and so learned all that was
going on. After the battle she rode out to meet Ivan
Tsarevich, and asked him : " How can I thank you ? "

" Give me a kiss, fair maiden ! "

The Tsarevna was not ashamed, pressed him to her
very heart, and kissed him so loud that the entire host
heard it !

Then the King's son struck his horse one blow and
vanished. Then he returned to his room, and sat there
as though nothing had happened, whilst his servant
boasted that he had gone to the battle and slain the foe.
So the Tsar awarded him great honours, promised him his
daughter, and set a great feast. But the Tsarevna was
not so stupid, and said she had a severe headache.

What was the future son-in-law to do ? " Father," he
said to the Tsar, " give me a ship, I will go and get
drugs for my bride ; and see that your herdsman comes
with me, as I am so well accustomed to him."

The Tsar consented ; gave him the ship and the
herdsman.

So they sailed away, may be far or near. Then the
servant had a sack sewn, and the Prince put into it, and
cast him into the water. But the Tsarevna saw the evil
thing that had been done, through her magic mirror ;
and she quickly summoned her carriage and drove to the
sea, and on the shore there the Woodsprite sat weaving
a great net.

" Woodsprite, help me on my way, for Dyad'ka the
servant has drowned the King's son ! "

" Here, maiden, look, the net is ready. Help me with
your white hands."

Then the Tsarevna threw the net into the deep ;
fished the King's son up, took him home, and told her
father the whole story.

So they celebrated a merry wedding and held a great
feast. In a Tsar's palace mead has not to be brewed

144 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

or any wine to be drawn ; there is always enough
ready.

Then the servant in the meantime was buying all sorts
of drugs, and came back. He came to the palace, was
seized, but prayed for mercy. But he was too late, and
he was shot in front of the castle gate.

The wedding of the King's son was very jolly, and all
the inns and all the beei-houses were opened for an
entire week, for everybody, without any charge.

I was there. I drank honey and mead, which came
up to my moustache, but never entered my mouth.

PRINCE EVSTAFI

In a certain kingdom once there lived a Tsar who had
a young son — ^Tsarevich Evstafi — ^who did not love
visiting or dances, nor promenades, but only liked going
in the streets and walking among the poor, the simple
folk, and the beggars, and bestowing alms on them.
And the Tsar was very angry with him for this, and
commanded him to be taken up to the gallows and to be
delivered to a cruel death.

So the attendants took the Tsarevich, and were on
the point of hanging him, when the Tsarevich fell on
his knees .before his father and began to ask for three
hours' interval. And the Tsar agreed, and gave him the
three hours' respite.

And the Tsarevich went to the silversmith's and
ordered him to make three chests — one of gold, one of
silver, and for the third he was simply to divide a stump
into two, to mortise out a trough, and to attach a lock.
So the smith made the three cases, and took them up to
the gallows.

The Tsar with all his boydrs looked on to see what was
going to happen. And the Tsarevich opened the cases
and showed them. On the gold one, very much gold
had been poured, on the silver, very much silver had
been poured, and the wooden one was buried in dirt.
He showed them, and once more opened the cases, and
then banged them tight.

And the Tsar was even more angry, and he asked Prince
Evstafi : " What is this new insolence of yours ? "

" My king and my father," said the Tsarevich Evstafi,
L MS

146 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" you are here with the hoydrs to value these cases,
what they are worth."

Then the boydrs valued the silver case at a high price,
and the golden one at a higher price still, and did not
deign to look at the wooden one.

And Evstafi Tsarevich said : " Now open the cases and
see what is in them."

And they opened the golden case and therie were
snakes and frogs and all sorts of dirt in it ; and looked
into the silver one, and they saw the same ; and looked
into the wooden one, and there trees with leaves and
fruit were growing, which emitted sweet odours, and in
the middle there was a church and an orchard.

And the Tsar was humbled ; and did not bid Evstafi
be punished.

VASILlSA POPOVNA

In a certain kingdom, in a certain country, once there
lived Vasili the pope and his daughter, Vasilisa Vasil-
yevna. She used to dress in male fashion, used to sit
astride on horseback ; shot with her gun, and did
nothing like other girls ; and there were very few who
knew that she was a maiden. It was always thought
that she was a man, and they called her Vasili Vasilyevich.
And the main reason that they so called her was because
Vasilisa Vasilyevna loved vodka — a custom ill-befitting
a maid.

Once Tsar Barkhat^ (this was the name of the King)
was travelling through this same country hunting deer,
and Vasilisa Vasilyevna met him : she was riding out to
hounds in a man's clothes. When Tsar Barkhat saw her,
he asked : " Who is this young man ? "

And an attendant answered him : " Tsar, this is no
young man, but a maiden. I am certain of it ; she
is the daughter of Pope Vasili, and her name is Vasilisa
Vasilyevna."

The Tsar had hardly reached home before he sent a
note to Pope Vasili, bidding his son Vasili Vasilyevich
come and dine with him at the imperial table. And he,
in the meantime, went to his old evil-tempered house-
keeper and bade her devise some means of eliciting
whether Vasili Vasilyevich were a maiden.

The old evil housekeeper said : " Hang an embroidery-
frame in your palace, at the right hand, and a gun on the
left ; if she is really Vasilisa Vasilyevna, she will, as soon
'^ The word means velvet.
147

148 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

as ever she enters the palace, first take hold o£ the frame;
but, if it is Vasili Vasilyevich he will lay hands on the
gun."

Tsar Barkhat obeyed the counsel of his ancient evil
housekeeper and ordered his attendants to hang an
embroidery-frame and a flint-lock up in the palace.

As soon as ever her father Vasili received the Tsar's
message he communicated it to his daughter, Vasilisa
Vasilyevna, who at once went into the stable and saddled
the grey horse with the silver mane, and rode straight
out to the courtyard of Tsar Barkhat.

Tsar Barkhat came to meet her. She humbly prayed
God, crossed herself as is ordained, bowed to all four
sides, and greeted Tsar Barkhat friendHwise, and with
him entered the palace. They sat down to table
together, ate sweetmeats, and drank strong wine.
After the dinner Vasilisa Vasilyevna went for a walk
with the Tsar through the palace. As soon as ever she
saw the embroidery-frame she began to scold Tsar
Barkhat : " Whatever nonsense have you hanging up
there. Tsar Barkhat ? I never saw such girlish trash in
my father's house, and I have never heard of it, and yet
you find it hanging in Tsar Barkhat's palace ! " And
she promptly bade a courteous farewell to the Tsar and
rode home.

And the Tsar was still in a quandary whether she were
a maiden or not. Two days later Tsar Barkhat sent
another message to Pope Vasfli, begging him send his son
Vasili Vasilyevich. As soon as Vasilisa Vasilyevna heard
that she went into the stable and saddled the grey horse
with the silver mane, and galloped away to Tsar Barkhat's
courtyard. Tsar Barkhat came to meet her, and she
greeted him f riendlily, modestly prayed to God, crossed
herself, as is becoming, and bowed to the four quarters
of the wind. At the advice of the old and evil house-
keeper he had commanded a sweet pie to be made for

VASILISA POPOVNA 149

supper and pearls to be mixed in it, for the old hag said :
" If it is only Vasilisa Vasilyevna, she will take up the
pearls ; but, if it is Vasili Vasilyevich, he will throw
them under the table."

So they passed the time merrily and they sat down.
The Tsar sat at table and Vasilisa Vasilyevna on his right.
They ate sweetmeats and they drank strong wines.
Then there came the pie, and as soon as even Vasilisa
Vasilyevna's spoon touched it, it tingled on the pearls ;
and she flung them and the pie under the table, and
began to scold the Tsar. " Who," she asked, " put these
into the pie ? Whatever nonsense have you here, Tsar
Barkhat ? I never saw such girlish trash in my father's
house, and I have never heard of them, and yet you find
them in Tsar Barkhat's food ! " And she bade farewell
courteously and rode home.

Still the Tsar was utterly at a loss whether it were a
maiden, and he had made up his mind to find out. So,
two days, later, the Tsar, at the advice of the old evil-
minded housekeeper, had the bath heated, for the old
woman said : " If it is only Vasilisa Vasilyevna she will
not go into the bath together with the Tsar." So the
bath was heated, and Tsar Barkhat sent Pope Vasfli another
message that he would like to have his son Vasili Vasilye-
vich as his guest ; and when Vasilisa Vasilyevna heard of
it she went into the stable and saddled the grey horse
with the silver mane, and galloped away to Tsar Bark-
hat's courtyard. He received her at the state entrance.
They greeted each other friendlily, and she trod on
velvet pile into the palace. As she came in she prayed
devoutly, crossed herself, as is seemly, and bowed to all
four quarters, and sat together with the Tsar at table.
They ate sweetmeats and drank strong wine.

After the dinner the Tsar said : " Will you not come
with me into the bath, Vasili Vasilyevich ? "

" If you wish it, mighty Tsar," Vasilisa Vasilyevna

ISO RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

answered. " It is a long time since I have had a bath,
and I should like a steam bath."

But before ever the Tsar had had time to undress in
the front room, she was in the bath and out of it, so
quick was she, and the Tsar was as puzzled as ever. In
the meantime Vasilisa Vasilyevna had written a letter
and bade the attendants give it to the Tsar as soon as he
came out of the bath. And this was what she wrote :

" O you crow, you Tsar Barkhat ! The crow has not
caught the falcon in the garden. I am not Vasili
Vasilyevich, but Vasilisa Vasilyevna ! "

This was the way in which Tsar Barkhat was hood-
winked ; and you see how clever and beautiful Vasilisa
Vasilyevna was.

THE DREAM

One day an old, old man was wandering about the earth,
and he asked for a night's shelter from the peasant.
" Certainly," said the peasant — " I shall be only too glad ;
only, will you go on telling me stories all night long ? "

" Yes, all right ! I will tell you stories ; only, let me
rest here."

" Then, pray, come in ! "

So the old man entered the hut and lay down on the
sleeping bench on the top of the stove.

And the master said : " Make yourself ready, honoured
guest. We shall have supper. Now, old man, tell me a
story."

" Wait a bit ; I had better tell you one in the morn-
ing."

" As it please you ! " And they lay down to sleep.

Then the old man went to sleep, and dreamed that
there were two candles blazing in front of the images
and two birds fluttering in the izba.''- He felt thirsty,
and wanted to drink, got off the sleeping bench, and there
were newts running about on the floor. And he went up
to the table, and saw frogs jumping and croaking on it.
Then he looked up at the master's eldest son, and there
was a snake lying in between him and his wife. And he
looked at the second son, and on the second son's wife
there was a cat which was yawning at the man. Then he
looked at the third son, and between him and his wife
there was a young man lying. This all seemed rather
queer to the old man, and rather strange.

1 Hut.

152 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So he went and lay on the corn-Mln, and there he
heard shrieks : " Sister ! Sister ! come and fetch me ! "
Then he went and lay under the fence, and there he
heard a cry : " Pull me out and stick me in again ! "
Then he went and lay on the cauldron, and he heard a
cry : " I am hanging on the cross-beam ! I am falling
on the cross-beam ! " Then he went back into the hut.

The master woke up and said : " Now tell me a story."

But the old man replied : " I shall not tell you a
story, only the truth. Do you know what I have just
dreamed ? I went to sleep and thought I saw two candles
blazing in front of the images and two birds fluttering
inside the hut."

" Those are my two angels fluttering about."

" And I also saw a snake lying between your son and
his wife."

" That is because they quarrel."

" And I looked also at your second son, and there was
a cat sitting on his wife, and yawning at the man."

" That means that they are bad friends, and the wife
wants to get rid of the husband."

" Then, when I looked at your next son, I saw a youth
lying in between them."

" That ifi not a youth, but an angel who was lying
there ; and that is why they are on such good and
loving terms."

" Why is it, then, master of the house, when I sKpped
off the sleeping shelf that there were newts running on
the floor ; and, when I wanted to drink at the table, I
saw frogs leaping about and croaking ? "

" Because," the peasant answered, " my daughters-in-
law do not sweep up the lathes ; but put the kvas on
the table when they are sitting round together without
saying grace."

" Then I went to sleep on the corn-kiln, and I heard
a cry : ' Sister ! Sister ! come and fetch me ! ' "

THE DREAM 153

" That means that my sons never put the brush back
into its place and say the proper blessing."

" Then I went to lie under the fence, and I heard
a cry : ' Pull me out and stick me in again ! ' "

" That means that the stick's upside-down."

" Then I went and lay under the cauldron. And I
heard a cry o£ ' I am hanging on the cross-beam ! I am
falling on the cross-beam ! ' "

" That means," said the master, " that, when I die,
my entire house will fall."

THE SOLDIER AND THE TSAR IN THE FOREST

In a certain kingdom, in a certain State, lived a peasant
who had two sons. The recruiting-sergeant came
round and took the elder brother. So the elder brother
served the Tsar with faith and loyalty, and was so fortu-
nate in his service that in a few years he attained a
general's rank.

Now at this same time there was a new enlistment,
and the lot fell on his younger brother, and they shaved
his brow. And it so happened that he was made to
serve in the very same regiment in which his brother
was a general. The soldier recognised the general, but
it was no good, because the general would not acbaow-
ledge him at all : "I do not know you, and you must
not claim acquaintance with me ! "

One day the soldier was standing on sentry-go at the
ammunition-wagons just outside the general's quarters,
and the general was giving a great dinner, and a multi-
tude of officers and gentlemen were going to him. The
soldier saw that it was jollity within, but that he him-
self had nothing at all, and he began to weep bitter
tears.

Then the guests began to ask him, " Tell us, soldier,
why are you crying ? "

" Why should I not cry f There is my ovra brother
faring abroad and making merry, but he forgets
me!"

Then the guests told the general of this ; but the
general was angry : " Do not believe him, he is an
utter liar." So he ordered him to be taken away from

154

THE SOLDIER AND THE TSAR 155

sentry-go, and to be given thirty blows with the cat,
so that he should not dare to claim kinship.

This offended the soldier, so he put on undress uniform
and decamped.

In some time, maybe long, maybe short, he found
himself in a wood so wild, so dreamy, that he could not
get out of it anywhere, and he began killing time and
feeding on berries and roots.

Just about this time the Tsar was setting out, and
made a mighty hunt with a splendid suite. They
galloped into the open fields, let loose the hounds, and
sounded trumpets, and began to press in. Suddenly
from somewhere or other a beautiful stag leapt out
straight in front of the Tsar, dived into the river, and
swam across to the other side right into the wood.
The Tsar followed after him, swam over the river, leapt
and leapt and looked; but the stag had vanished from
view, and he had left the hunters far behind, and all
around him was the thick dark forest. Where should
he go ? He did not know: he could not see a single
path. So until the fall of the evening he ambled about
and tired himself out.

On his way the runaway soldier met him. " Hail,
good man, where are you going ? "

" Oh, I was out on a hunt and I lost my way in the
wood ; will you lead me to the right path, brother ? "

" Who are you ? "

" A servant of the Tsar."

" Well, it is dark now ; we had better take shelter
somewhere in the thickets, and to-morrow I will show
you the way."

So they went to look where they might pass the night,
went on and on, and they saw a little hut. " Oho !
God has sent us a bed for the night ; let us go there,"
said the soldier. So they went into the little hut.

There an old woman sat. " Hail, babushka ! "

iS6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Hail, soldier ! "_

" Give us something to eat and drink."

" I have eaten it all up myself, and there is not any-
thing to be had."

" You are lying, old devil ! " said the soldier, and
began rummaging about in the stove and on the shelves.
And he found plenty in the old woman's hut : wine
and food, and all ready. So they sat down at the table,
feasted to their fill, and went to lie down in the attic.

Then the soldier said to the Tsar, " God guards him
who guards himself ; let one of us rest and the other
stand guard." So they cast lots, and the Tsar had to
take the first watch. Then the soldier gave him his
sharp cutlass, put him at the door, bade him not go to
sleep, and arouse him if anything should happen. Then
he himself lay down to sleep. But he thought, " Will
my comrade be able to stand sentry-go ? Possibly he
is unaccustomed to it ; I will take watch over him."
Then the Tsar stood there and stood, and soon began
to nod.

" What are you nodding for ? " asked the soldier :
" are you going to sleep ? "

" No ! " said the Tsar.

" Well, then, keep a good look-out ! "

So the Tsar stood a quarter of an hour, and again
dozed off.

" Ho, friend, you are not dozing ? "

" No, I don't think so." And he again dozed off.

" Ho, friend, you are not dozing ? "

" I don't think so : if you go to sleep do not blame
me.

Then the Tsar stood a quarter of an hour longer, and
his legs bowed in, he fell on the ground and went to
sleep.

The soldier jumped up, took the cutlass and went to
recall him and to have a talk : " Why do you keep

THE SOLDIER AND THE TSAR 157

guard in this way ? I have served for ten years, and
my colonel never forgave me a single sleep : evidently
they have not taught you anything. I forgave you
once before ; a third guilt is unpardonable. Well, now
go to sleep ; I will stand and watch."

So the Tsar went and lay down to sleep, and the soldier
went sentry-guard and did not close his eyes.

Very soon there was a whistling and a knocking, and
robbers came into that hut. The old woman met them
and told them, " Guests have come in to spend the
night."

" That is very well, babushka ; we have been rambling
the woods in vain all night, and our luck has come into
the hut ; give us supper."

" But our guests have eaten and drunk everything up."
" What bold fellows they must be : where are they ? "
" They have gone to sleep in the garret."
" Very well ; I will go and settle them ! "
So a robber took a big knife and crept up into the
garret ; but as soon as ever he had poked his head into
the door, the soldier swept his cutlass round, and off
came his head.

Then the soldier took a drink and stood and waited
on eventualities. So the robbers waited and waited
and waited. " What a long time he has been ! " So
they sent a man to look after him and the soldier killed
him also, and in a short time he had chopped off the
heads of all the robbers.

At dawn the Tsar awoke, saw the corpses, and asked,
" Ho, soldier, into what danger have we fallen ? "

So the soldier told him all that had happened. Then
they came down from the attic. When the soldier
saw the old woman he cried out to her, " Here, stop,
you old devil ! I must have some business with you.
Why are you acting as a receiver for robbers ? Give
us all the money now." So the old woman opened a

iS8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

box full of gold, and the soldier fiUed his knapsack
with gold and all of his pockets. He then said to his
companion : " You also take some."

So the Tsar answered, " No, brother, I need not ; our
Tsar has money enough without this ; and if he has it,
we shall also have it."

" Well, I suppose you ought to know ! " said the
soldier, and he took him out of the wood into the broad
road. " Go," he said, " on this road, and in an hour
you will reach the town."

" Farewell," said the Tsar. " Thank you for the
service you have done me ; come and see me, and I will
make you a happy man."

" Very well ; but that's a fine tale ! I am a runaway
soldier : if I show my head in the town I shall be seized
on the spot."

" Have no fear, soldier : the Tsar is very fond of me ;
and, if I ask him for a favour on your behalf and tell
him of your bravery, he will forgive you and have pity
on you."

" Where can I find you ? "

" Go into the palace."

" Very well ; I will go there to-morrow."

So the Tsar and the soldier said good-bye. And the
Tsar went on the broad road into his capital, and with-
out delay he ordered all the staffs and the watches and
the sentries to keep their eyes open, and as soon as a
certain soldier came to give him the honour due to a
general.

Next day, as soon as ever the soldier had appeared
at the barriers, a sentry ran out and gave him a generous
honour. So the soldier wondered, " What does this
mean ? " And he asked, " To whom are you showing
these honours f "

" To you, soldier."

So he took a handful of gold out of his wallet and gave

THE SOLDIER AND THE TSAR 159

it to the sentry as a tip. Then he entered the town.
Wherever he went all the sentries gave him honours,
and he always paid them back in tips. " What a wretched
dolt was this servant of the Tsar's : he has given a hint
to everybody that I have plenty of money on me ! "
So he came up to the palace, and the entire army was
assembled there, and the Tsar met him in the same
dress in which he had gone hunting.

Then the soldier at last saw with whom he had passed
the night in the wood, and he was terribly frightened.
" This was the Tsar," he said, " and I threatened him
with my cutlass, just as though he had been my brother! "
But the Tsar took him by the hand and rewarded him
with a generalship, and degraded the brother into the
ranks, telling him he must not disown his own kin.

THE TALE OF ALEXANDER OF MACEDON

Once upon a time there lived a king on the earth whose
name was Alexander of Macedon : this was in the old
days very long ago. So long ago that neither our grand-
fathers, nor great-grandfathers, nor our great-great
grandfathers, nor our great-great-great-grandfathers re-
collect it. This Tsar was one of the greatest knights of
all knights that ever were. No champion of earth could
ever conquer him. He loved warfare, and all his army
consisted entirely of knights. Whomsoever Tsar Alexan-
der of Macedon might go to combat, he would conquer,
and he numbered under his sway all the kings of the
earth.

He went to the edge of the world, and he discovered
such peoples that he, however bold he was himself, felt
afraid of them ; ferocious folk, fiercer than wild beasts,
who ate men ; live folks who had but one eye ; and
that eye was on the forehead ; folks who had three
eyes, folks who had only a single leg ; others who had
three, and they ran as fast as an arrow darts from the
bow. The names of these peoples were the Gogs and
Magogs. Tsar Alexander of Macedon never lost courage
at seeing these strange folk, but he set to and waged
warfare on them. It may be long, it may be short,
the war he waged — ^we do not know. Only the wild
peoples became dispersed and ran away from him. He
began to hunt and to chase after them, and he chased
them into such thickets, precipices and mountains as
no tale can tell and no pen can describe.

So at last they were able to hide themselves from Tsar

1 60

THE TALE OF ALEXANDER OF MACEDON i6i

Alexander of Macedon. What then did Tsar Alexander
of Macedon do with them ? He rolled one mountain
over them, and then another roof-wise on top ; on the
arch he put trumpets, and he went back to his own land.
The winds blew into the trumpets, and a fearsome roar
was then raised to the iskies, and the Gogs and Magogs
sitting there cried out, " Oh, evidently Alexander of
Macedon must still be aUve '! " The Gogs and Magogs
are stiU alive and to this day are afraid of Alexander.
But, before the end of the world, they shall escape.

M

THE BROTHER OF CHRIST

An old man was dying, and he was enjoining on his son
not to forget the poor.

So on Easter Day he went into the church, and he
took some fine eggs with him with which to greet his
poor brothers, although his mother was very angry with
him for so doing — for she was an evil-minded woman
and merciless to the poor.

When he reached the church there was only one egg
left, and there was one dirty old man. And the lad took
him home to break his fast with him.

When the mother saw the poor man, she was very
wroth. " It would be better," she said, " to break your
fast with a dog than with such a filthy old beggar."
And she would not break the fast.

So the son and the old man broke their fast together,
and went out for a walk. Then the son looked and saw
that the dress of the old man was very shabby, but the
cross on him burnt like fire.

" Come," said the old man, " we will change crosses ;
you become my brother by the cross."

" No, brother," the lad replied, " however much I
may wish it ; for I should get such a fine cross as you are
carrying, and can give you nothing in return."

But the old man overbore the youth, and they ex-
changed. And he asked him to come as his guest on
Tuesday in Easter week. " And if you want to find your
way," he said, " follow the path yonder. You need only
say, ' The Lord bless me ! ' and you will find me."

That very Tuesday the youth set out on the footpath,

162

THE BROTHER OF CHRIST 163

and said : " The Lord bless me ! " and set out on his
way journeying forth. He went a little way, and he
heard children crying : " Brother of Christ, speak of us
to Christ, whether we must be long in pain ? " And he
went on a few steps farther ; and he saw maidens ladling
water out of one well into another. " Brother of Christ!"
they said to him, " speak of us to Christ, how long we
must remain in torture ? " And he went on still farther,
and saw a hedge, and beneath that hedge there became
visible old men, and they were all covered with slime.
And they said to him : " Brother of Christ, speak of us
to Christ, how long shall we remain in pain ? "

And so he went on and on. Then he saw the very old
man with whom he had broken his fast. And the old
man asked him : " What did you see on the way ? "

And the youth recounted all that he had met,

" Well, do you recognise me ? " said the old man.
And it was only at this moment that the peasant boy
understood that he was speaking to Jesus Christ Himself.

" Why, O Lord, are the children tortured ? "

" Their mother cursed them in the womb, and they
can never enter Paradise."

" And the maidens ? "

" They traded in milk, and they mixed water with
their milk ; and now for all eternity they must ladle out

water."

" And the old men ? "

" They lived in the white world, and they used to say :
* How pleasant it reaUy might be to live in this world !
But, as it is, there is nothing worth caring about ! ' So
they must bear up against the mire."^

Then Christ led the boy into Paradise, and told him

1 Cf. Dante, Inf.

Fitti nel limo dicon ; 'Tristi fummo.

Nel dolce mondo che dal sol s'allegra. . . ,

Or c'attristiam' nella belletta negra.

i64 RUSSIAN POLK-TALES

his piace was ready for him there, aiad yon may be sure
the boy was none too anxious to leave it on that day.
And afterwards He led him into Hell, and there the
peasant's mother was sitting.

So the .peasant boy be^gan to beseech Christ to have
mercy on her. " Have mercy on her. Lord ! "

Ami. Christ bade the lad ;^ait a rope of brome-grass.
The peasant plaited the rope of brome-grass, and the
Lord must have supervised.

And he brought it to Christ, Who said : " Now you
have been weaving this rope for thirty years and have
laboured sufficiently for your mother, rescue her out of
Hell."

And the son dangled the rope down to the mother
who Tvas sitting in the boiling pitch. And the rope
never burned nor singed : so did God provide. And the
son tried and tried to drag his modier up, and caught
hold of iher head, and she cried out to him : " You
savage dog 1 Why, you are almost choMng me ! " Then
the rope 'broke off, and the guilty soul once more flew
down into the burning pitch.

" She had not desired to escape," said Christ, " and
all of her heart is down there, and she must stay there
for aU eternity."

ALYOSHA POPOVICHi'

In the sky the young bright mooa was being born, and
on the earth, of the old prebendary, the old pope Leon,
a son was born, a mighty knight^, and he was called by
name Alyosha Fopovich, a fair name for him.

When they began to feed Alyosha, what was a week's
food for any other babe was a day's food for him, what
was a year's food for others was a week's food for him.

Alyosha began going about the streets and playing
with the young boys. If he touched the little hand of
anyone, that hand was gone : if he touched the little
nose of anyone, that nose was done for : his play was
insatiate and terrible. Anyone he grappled with by the
waist, he slew.

And Alyosha began to grow up, so he asked his mother
and father for their blessing, for he wished to go-- and to
fare into the open field.

His father said to. him, " Alyosha Fopovich, you are
faring into the open field, but we ha-ve yet one who is
even mightier than you : do yovu take inta your service
Marfshhy, the son of Paran."

So the two youths mounted their good horses and they
fared forth into the open field. The dust rose behind
them like a column, such doughty youths' were they to
behold.

So the two. doughty youths went on to the court of
Prince Vlladimir. And Alyosha Fopovich went straight
to the white stone palace, to Prince Vladimir, crossed

^ This is a prose version of a bylina : Alyosha Popovich is one of the
Kiev cycle.

i6s

i66 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

himself as is befitting, bowed down in learned-wise in all
four directions, and especially low to Prince Vladimir.
Prince Vladimir came to meet the doughty youths and
set them down at an oaken table, gave the doughty
youths good food and drink, and then asked their news.
And the doughty youths sat down to eat baked ginger-
bread and to drink strong wines.

Then Prince Vladimir asked the doughty youths,
" Who are ye, doughty youths ? Are ye mighty knights
of prowess or wandering wayfarers bearing your burdens ?
I do not know either your name or your companion's
name."

So Alyosha Popovich answered, " I am the son of the
old prebendary Leon, his young son Alyosha Popovich,
and my comrade and servant is Maryshko, the son of
Paran."

And when Alyosha had eaten and drunk he went and
sat on the brick stove to rest from the midday heat,
whilst Maryshko sat at the table.

Just at that time the knight, the Snake's son, was
making a raid and was ravaging all the kingdom of Prince
Vladimir. Tugarin Zmyeyevich^ came to the white
stone palace, came to Prince Vladimir. With his left
leg he stepped on the threshold and with his right leg
on the oaken table. He drank and ate and had conversa-
tion with the princess, and he mocked Prince Vladimir
and reviled him. He put one round of bread to his
cheek and piled one on another ; on his tongue he put
an entire swan, and he thrust off all the pastry and
swallowed it all at a gulp.

Alyosha Popovich was lying on the brick stove, and
spake in this wise to Tugarin Zmyeyevich : " My old
father, Leon the pope, had a little cow which was a
great glutton : it used to eat up all the beer vats with
all the lees ; and then the little cow, the glutton, came

1 The strong man, the Serpent's son.

ALYOSHA POPOVICH 167

to the lake, and it drank and lapped all the water out
of the lake, took it all up and it burst, and so it would
also have torn Tiigarin to bits after his feed."

Then Tiigarin was wroth with Alyosha Popovich and
burst on him with his steel knife. Alyosha turned aside
and stood behind an oaken column. Then Alyosha
spoke in this wise : " I thank you, Tiigarin Zmyeyevich ;
you have given me a steel knife : I will break your white
breast, I will put out your clear eyes, and I will behold
your mettlesome heart."

Just at that time Maryshko Paranov leapt out from
behind the table, the oaken table, on to his swift feet,
seized Tiigarin, and fell on his back and threw him over ;
lifted up one of the chairs and hurled in the white stone
palace, and the glass windows were shattered.

Then Alyosha Popovich said from the brick stove,
" O Maryshko, son of Paran, thou hast been a faithful
servant ! "

And Maryshko the son of Paran answered, " Do you
give me, Alyosha Popovich, your steel knife, and I will
break open the white breast of Tiigarin Zmyeyevich, I
will close his clear eyes, and I will gaze on his mettlesome
heart."

But Alyosha answered, " Hail, Maryshko Paranov, do
you not sully the white stone palace ; let him go into
the open field wherever he may, and we will meet him
to-morrow in the open field."

So, in the morning early, very early, Maryshko the
son of Paran arose, together with the little sun, and he
led out the stout horses to water them in the swift
stream. Tiigarin Zmyeyevich flew into the open and
challenged Alyosha Popovich to fight him in the open
field. And Maryshko Paranov came to Alyosha Popovich
and said : " God must be your judge, Alyosha Popovich :
you would not give me your steel knife ; I should have
carved out the white breast from that pagan thief, I

1 68 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

should have gouged out his bright eyes, anid I should have
taken out his mettlesome heart and gazed on it. Mow,
what will youf make of Tiigacin ?' Me is flying about in
the open."

Then Alyosha Popovich spake in this wiser "That
was no service, but treachery."

So Alyosha led out his horse, saddled it with a Circas-
sian saddle, fastened it on with twelve silken girths, not
for the sake of decoration, but for the sake of strength.
And Alyosha set out into the open field. Alyosha set
out into the open field, and he saw Tugarin Zmyeyevich,
who- was flying in the open.

Then Alyosha made a prayer : " Holy Mother of
God, do thou punish the black traitor, and grant out of
the black cloud a thick gritty rain that shall damp
Tugarin's light wingSi, and he may fall on the grey earth
and stand on the open field !' "

It was like two mountains falling on each other when
Tugarin and Alyosha met. They fought with their
clubs, and their clubs were shattered at the hil^s. Their
lances met, and their lances broke into shreds. Then
Alyosha Popovich got down from his saddle like a sheaf
of oats, and Tugarin Zmyeyevich was almost striking
Alyosha down. But Alyosha Popovich was cautious. He
stood between his horse's feet and, turning round to the
other side from' there, smote Tuga-rin with his steel
knife under his right breast, and threw Tugarin from
his good horse. And then Alyosha Pbpovich cried out,
"Tugarin, I thank you, Tugarin Zmyeyevich, for the
steel knife : I will tear out your white breast, I will gouge-
out your bright eyes, and I wiU gaze on youi mettlesome
heart."

Then Alyosha cut oil his turbulent head, and he took
the turbulent head to Prince Vladimir. And as he went
on he began playing with that little head, flinging it higk
up in the air and catching it again on his sharp lance.

ALYOSHA POPOVICH 169

But Vladimir was dismayed. " I see Tiigarin bringing
me the turbulent head of Alyosha Popovich: he will
now take captive aU of our Christian kingdom."

But Maryshko Paranov gave him answer : " Do not
be distressed, oh bright little sun, Vladimir, in thy capital
of Kiev. If Ttigarin is coming on earth and is not flying
in the skies he is. putting his turbulent head' on my sfied.'.
lance. Do not be afraid, Prince Vladimir ; whatever
comes I wiH. make friends' with him."

Then Maryshko. the son of Paran looked out into the
open field, and he recognised Alyosha Popovich,. and he
said, " I can see the knightly gait and youthful step' of
Alyosha Popovich. He is guiding his horse uphill and
he is playing with a little head : he is throwing the little:
head sky-high, and is catching the little head on the point
of his sharp lance.. He who is riding is not the pagan
Tugarin, but Alyosha Popovich, the son of the old
prebendary, the pope Leon, who is bringing the head
of the pagan Tugarin Zmyeyevich."

GOD'S BLESSING COMPASSES ALL THINGS

Once upon a time in a certain country, in a certain
kingdom, there were two peasants, Ivan and Naum.
They entered into a partnership and went together to
look for work, and they rambled about until they came
to a rich village and got work with different masters.
For the whole week they kept at work and met on
Sunday for the first time.

" Brother, how much have you earned ? " asked Ivan.

" God has given me five roubles."

" God gave them to you ? He does not give much
unless you work for it."

" No, Brother, without God's blessing you can do
nothing ; you cannot gain a groat."

So they quarrelled about this, and at last they decided,
" We will each go our own way. We will ask the first
man we meet which of us is right. He who loses the
bet must sacrifice all his earnings."

So they went on some twenty paces. Afterwards they
came across an unholy spirit in human guise, and they
asked him and received his reply. " What you earn for
yourself is the proper thing ; place no reliance on God."

Naiim gave Ivan his money and returned empty-
handed to his master. One week later the two men met
once again, and set about the same argument. Naum
said : " Though you took my money from me last week,
stiU, this week God gave me yet more."

" If God gave it you as you said, we will once more
ask the first person who meets us who is right. The

170

GOD'S BLESSING COMPASSES ALL THINGS 171

loser o£ the bet shall have the money, and shall have his
right hand hewn off."

Naiim consented. On their way they met the same
devil, who returned the same reply. Ivan gave Naum
his money, hacked off his right hand, and left it behind.

Naiim pondered for a long time what he should do
without his right hand. Who would give him meat and
drink ? But God is merciful. So he went to the river,
and he lay down on a boat on the shore. " I will sit down
here, and to-morrow I may see what I shall do, for the
morning is wiser than the evening."

And about midnight very many devils assembled on
the boat and began to tell each other what tricks they
had played. The first said : " I started a quarrel between
two peasants, backed up the one who was in the wrong ;
and the one, who was in the right, had his hand hacked
off."

" That's not much of a feat ! If he were to wave his
hand, three times over the dew, his hand would grow
again," said the second.

Then the third began to boast, " I have sucked a
lord's daughter dry, and she can hardly stir."

" What ! if any one had any compassion on the lord,
he would heal the daughter at once. It is as simple as
possible. You have only to take this herb " — pointing
to a herb on the shore — " cook it, boil her in the brew,
and she will be healed."

" In a certain pond," a fifth devil said, " there is a
peasant who has put up a water-mill, and for many
years he has been striving to make it go, but whenever
he lets the water through the sluice, I make a hole in it,
and aU the water -flows through."

" What a fool your peasant is ! " said the sixth devil.
" He ought to dam it up well, and as soon as the water
breaks through, throw in a sheaf of straw, and all your
work would be no good."

i7» RUSSIAN- FOLK-TALES

Naum had listened very attentively. Next day he
grew his hand on again, then he saw to the peasant's
dam, and he healed the lord's daughter. Both the
pea-sant and the lord rewarded him richly, and he lived a
fine life.

Onee he met his former companion, who was very
much astonished, and asked : " How is it you have
become so rich, and how did you grow your hand on
again- ? "

Naiim told him exactly what had happened, and kept
nothing back.

Ivan listened very attentively, and thought, " Ha !
I shall do the same, and shall become richer than he ! "
So' he went to the river and lay down on the shore, in the
boat.

And at midnight all the devils gathered together.
" Brothers," they said, " somebody must have been
eavesdropping on us, for the peasant's hand grew again,
the* maidfen is healed, and the mill-wheel is turning ! "

So they burst on the boat, found Ivan, and tore him
into tiny bits.

Then the. wolves wept cows' tears.

SHEMYAK THE JUDGE

Once ia a certain country, in a certain kingdom, there
Mved two brothers ; one was ridi and the other jpoor.
One day the poor brother came to the rich and asked
him if or a horse to fetdh wood out of the forest. 1^
rich man lent him a horse. Then the poor man also
adsed him for a horse-collar : this the rich brother i?e-
fused, and became angry. Then the poor man decided
to tie the wood to the horse's tail. And so he drove
into the wood. He cut down so much wood that the
horse could hardly drag it. When he got home he
opened the door, but he forgot to remove the cross-beam.
The horse jumped over it, but wrenched his tail out.

The poor brother brought the rich man the horse
back without a tail. Whea he saw the animal in this
condition, he would not take it ; but wen.t with the
poor man before Judge Shemyak. The poor man went
with, his breather, and surmised he would .fare vCTyi)adly,
for the sentence would be -exaie ; the jpaor man is a
butt for afl, as he caruiot give anything.

The brothers came to a rich peasaat and asked for a
night's lodging- The peasant gave the rich man goad
food and drink, but the poor man nothing. The poor
man lay on the oven and saw how merry the other two
were .making ; and fell down and killed the child in the
cradle.

Then the ^peasant decided to go with .the brothers, to
bring a further indictment against the poor man. They
went off together, the peasant and the rich brother in
front, and the poor man after them. Then they crossed

173

174 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

a bridge : the poor man considered that he would hardly
escape the Court with his life ; so he jumped over the
bridge, in order to commit suicide. But, under the
bridge, a son was bathing his sick father, and the poor
man fell plump on the old man and drowned him.
Then the son also went up to the Court in order to
bring a plaint against the poor man.

The rich man put in a plea to the Court that his poor
brother had torn off the horse's tail. In the meantime
the poor man had wrapped a stone in a cloth and was
threatening the judge with it behind the brother's back,
for he was thinking, " If the judge goes against me, I
will kill him." The judge believed that the poor man
was offering him a hundred roubles so as to prove his
case, and he gave judgment that the rich man must
leave the horse in the poor peasant's possession until the
tail grew again.

Then the peasant came and complained that the poor
man had killed his son. Once again the poor man hfted
up the same stone in a menacing way against the judge,
behind the peasant's back. And the judge this time felt
perfectly sure of getting a hundred roubles more for
the judgment. And he commanded the peasant to give
his wife to the poor peasant until another son was born.
" Then you can take your wife and the child back."

This time it was the son's turn. And he brought in
a plea that the poor man had murdered his father.
Once again the poor man took the stone out of his pocket
and showed it to the judge. Then the judge felt sure
he would get altogether three hundred roubles in the
case, and he commanded the son to go to the bridge,
" and you, poor man, go there ; stop under the bridge ;
and the son is to jump into the water plump on to you
and to kill you."

Judge Shemyak sent his servant to the poor man to
ask for the three hundred roubles.

SHEMYAK the judge 175

Then the poor man showed the servant the stone with
which he had threatened the judge : " If the judge had
not decided in my favour I should have killed him with
this stone ! "

When the judge heard of this, he crossed himself
piously and said : " Thank God I decided for the right
party."

The poor brother went to the rich brother to fetch
the horse from him in accordance with the judge's
decision, until the tail should grow again. The rich
man did not want to give the horse, so he gave him
instead five roubles, three quarters of corn, and a milch-
goat ; and made peace with him for all time.

Then the poor man went to the peasant, and in
accordance with the judgment, asked for the wife, in
order that she might remain with him until another
child came. Then the peasant made a compromise with
the poor man, gave him fifty roubles, a cow and a calf,
and a mare with a foal, and four quarters of corn, and
settled matters with him.

Then the poor man went to the son whose father he
had killed, and read the judgment out to him, according
to which the son was to jump on him from the bridge,
so as to kiU him. Then the son began to consider :
" If I do jump, possibly I shall kill him, possibly I shall
not ; anyhow I shall be done for." So he made terms
with the poor man, gave him two hundred roubles and
a horse, and five quarters of corn ; and lived in peace
with him for ever.

A STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS

In a certain city, in a certain state, there once lived a
merchant Nicholas with his wife. From the beginning
they lived happily and were wealthy. Biit theix chief
joy was in this : that tihe Lord had presented them with
a son, and suich a ^beautifoil son too I SesBsiible and wise —
and the only prayer whidh the naother and father ad-
dressed to God and to his Jb.oly godfather St. Nicholas
the Wonder- Worker, was that they should endow him
with happiness and long Me.

But, as old age crept on, they, for some reason, began
to beojnffi poor ; and they became so poor tiat Nichdas,
from a famous Taenchant, Tjecame a mere tradesman,
and they only had one Uttle shop, and in the shop there
was a chest <£ tobacco, a few nails, aaid a littfe inon.
And either from the fact that they were growing poorer,
or that they were becoming older, the modier and father
of Ivan — ^for this was the name d£ NLchdlaB's son — ^had
become feeble.

One day the father ;caEed Ivan to him, an.d said;:
" Now, our beloved son, we, it seems, shall soon die ;
but <do you not weep for u&, but rather pray God. For
we have already lived out our life ; and this is as it must
be. But you bury us properly, for I have saved up
money for you for this purpose. One third of the money
you are to spend on the funeral, the second on the
Requiem Mass, and with the third buy a shop and go
into trade. And I will give you my blessing. Do not
give any one false measure or cheat ; and if you shall
grow rich, do not forget God, and to give alms to the

176

A STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS 177

■poor, as I did time a;gone. Now, my son, farewell. May
■the Divine jnercy guard you and our guilty souls."

Seven days passed, and Ivan buried his fatter, and his
jnother soon afterwards, and began to trade. Soon he
kegan to overknok the stock, .and in the corner .he found
an image of the holy St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker.
rSo he ibuought the image into the dzbd'^ and he poured
water into a vessel, washed it out, cleaned it in front of
the image, and soon after went to market, bought a
little lamp, and lighted it in front of the image.

On the first Sunday he called the Pope in, had a Mass
said for his parents, chanted a prayer to 'St. Nicholas the
Wonder-Worker, and took the image into the shop, so
that he might gaze at it constantly ; and thereafter,
whenever he went into the shop, he used first of all to
pray before the image, and afterwards he began to trade.

And his trade went so well that it seemed as if the
Lord Himself had been sending customers. Later on he
■built a second shop, and every day he gave much money in
ahns, and amongst others, to one old man who every
day repaired to him. Ivan was very fond of him, and
when a new clerk had to be engaged for the new shop,
he said to this old man ,: " Grandfather, I do not know
thy haJlowed name ; I do not know, father, how to call
thee ; only do not be angry with me, for I have built a
new shop, and I have no clerk. Come with me as my
clerk, and 1 wiU obey you as I would have obeyed my
own father. Do be 'kind and do not refuse."

The old man at the beginning would very gladly have
refused ; but afterwards they agreed, and began to Hve
and dwell together, and Ivan, in aU things, obeyed the
old man, and called him Bdtyushka.

The old man carried on trade prosperously and profit-
ably; and one day he said.: " Ivanushica, your trade
dots mot altogether suit me ; for you trade in tobacco,

1 Hvfct.

178 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

and God loves not smoking, nor does He love tobac-
conists. So buy some small goods, and you will have
more purchasers, and will not incur sin."

Ivan obeyed, and purchased many goods of all sorts,
and set up shop anew. When all the goods were sold
out, Ivan went into the counting-house, and he saw
threefold his money wherever he looked. Ivan was
extremely joyous at so big a profit, and he called in the
Pope, and he recited the prayer to Nicholas the Wonder-
Worker. And as to the old man, he was so happy, and
he prayed so heartily to God.

So they traded on for three years more, aild Ivan
became so rich that the old man advised him to sell out
and cross the seas with his goods. And Ivan obeyed the
old man, bought a ship, loaded it with wares, and gave
his house to the poor, setting one of them in as the
master until he should come back himself. And they
prayed to God, and he and the old man set sail.

Soon they arrived : it may be near, it may be far —
the tale is soon told, but the deed is not soon done — ^and
suddenly robbers came upon them and plundered them
of all their goods : and only left themselves alive and
unscathed. It was a bitter shock to Ivan. But the old
man quieted him, and said that all of this was for the
best. So they sailed on for three days after this ; and
on the third day they landed on an island, and they saw
a great mass of bricks. The old man said to Ivan : " Get
ready, Ivanushka, and load these bricks on your ship."
Ivan said : " What shall I do with these bricks ? I would
sooner die than do trade in them." But the old man
answered and said : " Oh, Ivanushka, Ivanushka, you
have had little experience ; and I tell you that any single
one of these bricks is worth more than all the wares of
which the robbers plundered you ! " And he threw
one of the bricks on the ground, and under the clay
there was a splendid jewel.

A STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS 179

So Ivan was glad, and began loading the ship with the
bricks. And when they had loaded it to the full, the
old man said : " Now, Ivanushka, you must also make
some plain bricks in order that buccaneers may not steal
the valuable ones." So they loaded plain bricks as well.
But on their way the wind arose and they sailed farther,
and the robbers fell on them again and began to search
for the goods. So the old man said to them : " Have
mercy, good folk ! Leave us alive ; for robbers some
time ago took away all we had, and now we only carry
bricks, such bricks as we made on the island." The
pirates looked and were persuaded and sailed farther on,
and so did Ivan and the old man, and very soon arrived
at a haven and stayed there.

In that kingdom there was a custom that all merchants
who arrived should bring some of all their wares as a
homage to the king. So the old man said to Ivan :
" Ivanushka, pray to the Lord God, and go and buy a
golden vessel and a fata, and to-morrow go and make
your homage to the king." Ivan obeyed the old man,
and the next day went to make his homage to the king.
They told the king that a merchant had come to do
allegiance, and the king sat on his throne and gave
audience to Ivan.

Ivan came up to the king, and in his hands there was
a golden vessel covered by -A-fatd, and in the golden vessel
there was a brick. So the king asked Ivan from what
realm he came, and how his father and mother were
named. And then he uncovered the/aia, and when he
saw the brick he was very wroth, and said : " I suppose
you think I have very few bricks, and you have come to
trade in them in my kingdom ! " And then he rushed
at Ivan. But Ivan turned aside and the brick fell to the
ground and split in two.

Then the king saw that he had behaved unseemly-
wise, and began to ask Ivan for forgiveness. And he

i8o RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

fortiiwitli bought the entire ship off Ivan. And when
Ivan saw this, he said : " You may take all my goods, but
I will not sell my vessel, for therein do I have an -old
man who is my clerk, and we should not be able to live
in the town." ""Oh," said the king, "'are there two of
you ? " And the Iking, on hearing this, became very
angry, and said : " I will not let you go, but I must have
the ship." And Ivan went down on his knees and be-
sought him that he would let them go. Then the king
said : " If one of you will read some psalms for three
nights to my daughter who is now in the church, you
may keep the ship." For his daughter was a witch, and
every night turned into a human being.

Ivan returned to his ship, and he was sad and dis-
heartened. He did not wish to go himself, for he did
not wish to die ; and if he dismissed the old man, it was
very hard to part.

The old man said to Ivan : " Why, Ivanushka, why
are you so miserable and hang your head ? " And Ivan
told him all that had happened, and what the king had
said. So the old man answered him : " Never mind,
Ivanushka, cheer up ! Pray^to the Saviour, and lie down
and sleep, and I wiU think out some means of getting
out of the danger."

Soon it began to grow dark, and the old man roused
Ivan and said,: " Here are three tapers. As long as the
first burns, pray to God ; when the second is burnt out,
light the third, and then enter by the right-hand side of
the Holy Gates by the altar-screen and say nothing ; only
mutter a prayer all the time. Go., and God bless you."

So Ivan landed, and the king's attendants took Ivan
into the church and locked it, and he began to read the
Psalter. One candle went out and then another, and
he lighted the third, and lay down at the right-hand *ide
of the Holy Gates. Then the flooring suddenly jumped
up, and the witch began to search for Ivan : " Where

A STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS i8i

are you ? I want to eat jovt." And she looked, and
she leoked, and she could not find him, and then the
cock crew, and she went once more into the graive.
Then Ivan got up, covered up the grave, and began to
read once more.

In the morning they went there to collect his. bones- ;
but there Ivan was, as large as life. And they went and
told the king.. And he bade hinaj for the second time go
aamdi read prayers.

And Ivan went to the old man and told him what had
ha^jpeiaed in the church by night.

Next night the old man told Ivan tO' lie down on the
le£tiT-hand side of the Holy Gates. And once more the
waittch could not find him.

On the third night the old man gave him- three tapers,
aiffid- a ball of pitch ; and the pitch was rolled round with
hair. He said : " To-night, Ivanushka, is the. k'St night.
When you have burned out the last ta>per', lie down beside
the grave, and when the witch rises out of it, go. and lie
in the grave in her place, and do not let her in until she
shall read out the prayers ' Maiden Mother of God,
mjmee I ' and ' Our Father Which art in. Heaven.'' '^

Ivan went into the church and began to read the
Psalter, and after lighting the third candle, lay down on
the right-hand side of the grave;.. The wi±ch broke out
of the coffin and passed over Ivan and began to. look for
him' all over the church. When the time came for her to-
lie down, there was Ivan in her place. " Ah ! there art
thou ! "' the witch cried.. " For thrice twenty-four hours
I have been hungry. Come out ; I waoit to eat you."
And Ivan threw the ball covered with hair at her, and
she nibbled and gnawed at it. And she at last said :
""Let me go.! " " No/' said Ivan, "I will not let you
go." " Let me go ! " the witch repeated. " Then do
you," said Ivan, " recite the prayer ' Maiden Mother of,
God, rejoice ! ' after me, and then I will let you go."

1 82 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

And the witch read out the prayer and then said : " Let
me go ! " And Ivan said : " Now read the Our Father,
then I will let you go." And the witch read it out.
Then Ivan came out and said : " Lie down." But the
witch said : " Now I cannot lie down." Then she and
Ivan began to pray.

In the morning two men came in, and they not only
saw Ivan, but also Olyona, the king's daughter — ^for this
was the witch's name. And they went to the king, and
recounted all they had beheld.

And the king assembled all the spiritual hierarchy and
went into the church. And he thought it must be that
Ivan had turned into a wizard, but when he saw how
things really were, he embraced Ivan and called him his
son. And the witch said to Ivan: "Now, Ivan, the
merchant's son, if you have been able to pray to God
and to bring me to life again, now learn how to master
me, and I wiU never depart one step from you."

So Ivan went to the ship, and he told the old man all
that had happened, and the old man said : " Ivanushka,
fear nothing, take Olyona Korolyevna^ as your wife,
only for the first three nights do not go to sleep until
the cock has crowed three times, and then she will never
more oppress you."

There was no loitering at the king's court ; very soon
all was got ready, and Ivan was affianced to Princess
Olyona. And for two weeks he lived quite happily.
Then he said to his father-in-law : " Good father, let
me go home and have a Mass said for my father and
mother, and once more see my home." And the king
said : " My beloved son, Ivan, the merchant's son, I will
not withstand your wish, but do return hither. You
see yourself I am no longer young, and I have no heir.
When you return I will give you my kingdom, and you
will live happily and merrily."

* KoroV king : hence princess.

A STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS 183

So they set out on their journey, and arrived at
their own kingdom, to their native land. And Ivan
took 01y6na with him. When they arrived at the
island of the bricks, they loaded all the vessels, and
there were many ships, and they excavated the entire
island.

One day the old man began to cut firewood, took
them to the opposite side of the island and said : " Ivan-
ushka, my well-doer, I must now speak with you." And
he bade them come where the firewood was stacked. He
lit the firewood ; and when it was in flame he took
Olyona, threw her down, trod on one leg, and puUed her
apart into two halves, taking hold of the other leg. Ivan
did not know what to say ! And the old man put both
halves on the fire, and out of the fire there then crept
snakes, frogs, and all sorts of reptiles. Then he took
the two parts out of the fire, rinsed them thoroughly in
the sea, sprinkled them over with water, made the sign
of the cross, and Olyona arose such a beauty as no tale
can tell and no pen can write. Then he said : " Now,
my well-doer, Ivanushka, you are to be a mighty king ;
Ivan, the merchant's son, you are now rich and famous
and happy, so see to it that you do not forget God and
the poor. I shall see you no more."

Ivan and Olyona hielt down and began to beseech
him, but the old man said : " Beg no more of me, but
rather thank God for sending me to you. I loved you
and your father, Ivan, and you even more, because you
kindly gave me alms ; and now you are rich and famous,
do not forget to give alms to the poor." Then he
vanished.

Ivan and Olyona praised God, went back to the ships,
and sailed farther on.

When the poor saw that Ivan had arrived with untold
wealth, they crowded to the shore and began to kiss
Ivan's hands, his feet, and the hem of his garment ;

1 84 RUS&MN fOLK-TAlES

and all' present were so joyous that the tears flowed) from
their eyes.

Ivan put up crosses on his parents' grave, elothed the
poor, gave them^ his house, and returned to his f ather-inr
law, and for many years governed his kingdom. And he
lived so long that he saw in his old age his sons, hiis
grandsons, and his great-gwandsons. And he ever
prayed and bliessed God anwi IHHchoks. the Wondejc-'
Worker for the mercy they had manifested to him.

In that kimgdom^ where he was kimgy to. this, very day
King Ivan andhiswife Olyonathe Fair are renasmbered..^

1 I have taken this stQTy as it stands. There are obvious gaps I have
not ventured to fill up.

THE POTTER

Once a potter was journeying on his roaxi with his goods
and dozed off. The Tsar Ivan Vasilgevich eame dnvi'ng
by in his carriage and said, " Peace be ta you ! "

The, potter loated lap and said, " I thank youi very
much and wish you the same."

" Have you been asleep ? "

" Yes,, my Ibrdu Do. not fear a man who sings songs ;
but fear a man whet sluiimbers ! "

" YoUi are a; bold, fellow, potter : I have seen v«ry
few sioffihi, ainid 1 like th-ean. Coachman, slower ! Potter,
tell me,, have you beea Long at your trade i "'

" Ever sim,ce: my youth, and I am now midxHe-aged."'

" Can you< keep your cMldren with it ? "

" Yes, r do no* sow, nor plough, nor mow, nor reap,
and no frosts cail do me an,y harm."

" Right, potter ; but there are still misfortunes left
in the world."

" Yes, I know three of them."

" What are the three ? "

" The first is an evil neighbour, the second an evil
wife, and the third a weak undferstanding."

" Yet now, tell me which is the. worst of these evils ? "

" The evil neighbour can be escaped ;. so can the evil
wife if one has children enough, but the weak- in.tellect
can never be- got rid of."

" Yes,, that is true, potter ;, you axe a sensible fellow.
Listen ! You suit me: and I suit you. When there are
geese flying over Russia, will you pluck a feaither out ©f
tbuem or let them fly by in peace ? "

183

1 86 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" If it suit me, I should let them fly by as they should ;
otherwise I should pluck them bald."

" Potter, hold in your horse a little while I look at
your stock."

The potter stopped and displayed his goods.

" Can you make any such for me ? "

" How many ? "

" Ten cart-loads."

" How long will you require ? "

" One month."

" In a fortnight I can bring them into the town. I
suit you and you suit me."

" Thank you, potter."

" Will you be in the city when I bring the goods ? "

" Yes, I shall be there as the merchant's guest."

So the Tsar drove into the city and ordered that at aU
his feasts the plates should be neither of silver nor of
pewter, nor of copper nor of wood, but only of clay.
The potter carried out the Tsar's orders and brought his
goods into the city. A boydr rode up to the potter
and said to him : " God be with you, potter."

" Thank you, your honour."

" Sell me all your goods."

" I cannot ; they are already sold."

" What does that matter ? Take my money for it ;
you will be doing no wrong, as long as you have received
no orders for the work. What do you want ? "

" I want every plate filled with money."

" Listen, potter — that is too much."

" Very well, then : one filled with money and two
empty. Do you agree ? "

So they agreed at that : " You suit me and I suit you."

They filled up the plates and again emptied them,
and they went on filling plates until there was not any
money left : but there were ever so many plates over.
The boydr saw he was getting the worst of the bargain

THE POTTER 187

and sent for more money from the house. So they piled
the plates higher still, but all the money vanished, and
still all the goods had not been used up.

" What is to be done, potter ? Why are you so greedy ? "

" There is nothing to be done."

" I have a very high esteem for you, potter, but do
you know what ? "

" Do you carry me in to the courtyard, and I will
give you the goods and the money back as well."

So the boydr hesitated : he was very sorry to lose his
money and for himself, but he could not help himself,
and so they agreed. They unharnessed the horse, and
the peasant sat in the carriage and the boydr walked on.
The potter sang a song, and the hoydr drew it along,
drew it along. " How far must I take you in front of
that courtyard ? "

The potter went on singing joyously and said, " In
front of the house, at the very top of the carriage."

When he reached the palace he stood up erect and
sang, joyously.

The Tsar heardhim singing and ran to the flight of steps,
and recognised the potter. " Ha ! welcome, potter ! "

" Thank you, your honour."

" What are you travelling with ? "

" With folly."

" Now, you fine potter, you have known how to sell,
your goods, hoydr, take off your gay costume and your
boots ; and you, potter, take off your kaftdn and your
bast shoes. Put the peasant's smock on, boydr, and you,
potter, put on the hoydr' s robes. You have sold your
goods very finely, potter ; you have done very little, and
you have won much. But as for you, hoydr, you were
not able to keep your rank. Now, potter, were there
any geese flying over Russia ? Did you pluck a feather
out of them, or did you leave them in peace ? "

" No, I plucked them bald."

THE WITCH AND THE SISTER OF THE SUN

In a distant country, a country far away, once there
lived a Tsar and Tsaxitsa, who' had a son, Ivan Tsarevich,
who was dumb from his birth. When- he was twelve
years old he went tO' the stable to the groonr whom- he
loved, who always told him stories. But this time he was
not t© be told any.

" Ivan Tsarevich," said the groom, " your mother wil-
soon have a d^aughter, and you will have a sister. She
wiU be a dreadful witch and will eat up yoinr father and
your mother and aU their subjects. Go back home and
ask your father to give you his best horse ; mount that
and ride away and foHow your eyes if you would escape
misfortune."

Ivan Tsarevich ran up to his father and spoke- for the
first time in his life. The Tsar was so glad at this that he
never asked what the Tsarevich wanted the horse- for, but
ordered the very best of his Tabtin to be saddlted for him.

Ivan Tsarevich mounted the horse and rode away,
following his eyes. He rode far, to a very great distance,
and he came to two old seamstresses, and asked them if
they would not let him live with them-.

"• We' shoul'd be very glad to accept you, Ivan Tsare"
vich," they replied, " but we shall not five much longer.
We- are breaking up this box and with our needltesj
sewing it together again, aiad as soon as we have done-
that Dteath will' come tO' us."

Then Ivan Tsarevich wept and rode on farther. And
he rode on, very very far, and came to Vertodub, And
he begged htm, "^ Will you take me as your son ? "

" I should be very glad to take you," Vertod'ub replied.

WITCH AND THE SISTER OF THE SUN 1S9

" but, as soon as I have turned round all these oaks with
all their roots, the hour will have come for me to die."

Then the Tsarevich wept yet more, and he rode
£art:her on, and he came to Vertogor, and he made him
the same request..

" I should be very glad to take you, Ivan Tsarevich,
but I too shall not live much longer," was the answer he
received. " You see, I am placed here in order to turn
these mountains round ; and when I have done with the
last of them then I must die."

Then Ivan Tsarevich wept bitter tears, and he rode
yet farther. And at last he came to the Sister of the
Sun. She gave him meat and drink and adopted him as
a son. The Tsarevich had a fine time there. But still
he was always dissatisfied, because he did not know what
was going on at homse. And so he clomb a lofty moun-
tain, looked out to his .own house, and saw that every-
thing there had been eaten up, and only the walls were
standing. Then he sighed and wept.

And when he came down from the mountain, the
Sister of the Sun met him and asked, " Ivan Tsarevich,
why hast thou wept ? "

'" It was the wind which was blowing something in
my eye ! " And once again he began to weep.

And he went a second time into the mountain, and
saw that ^only the walls of his house remained standing —
everything had been eaten up. And he wept and re-
turned home.

Again the Sister of the Sun met him : " Ivan Tsare-
vich, why hast thou wept ? "

" It was the wind which was blowing something in
my eye ! " And the Sun was angry, and forbade the
wind to blow.

And he mounted the hill a third time, and this time
he was forced to say why he was sad, and beg the Sister
of the Sun for leave to go home to see what had been

190 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

happening, like a doughty youth. So she gave him a
brush and comb and two apples to take with him. And,
however old a man might be, if he only ate one apple, he
would be young once more.

Ivan ran away, and he found Vertogor, who had only
one mountain left. So Ivan Tsarevich took his brush,
and threw it into the open field. And suddenly moun-
tains grew up everywhere, and their summits and peaks
pierced into the sHes, and there were so many of them
that no man could count them. Vertogor was then very
happy and set about work gaily.

Ivan Tsarevich met Vertodiib once more, and there
were only three oaks left. So he threw the comb into the
field, and then there rustled out of the earth a thick oak
forest, every tree thicker than the other. And Vertodiib
was then very joyous and set to work gaily.

And at last, after a journey long or short, Ivan Tsare-
vich reached the old women, and he gave each of them
an apple. They ate them, and they once more became
young, and gave him a little handkerchief, which he need
only shake, and a big lake would appear.

When Ivan Tsarevich came home, his sister ran to
him and caressed him. " Sit down, brother mine ; play
on the harp whilst I go and prepare dinner."

Ivan Tsarevich sat down and began to finger the strings
when a mouselet crept out of the corner and spoke with
a human voice : " Run away, Tsarevich, as fast as you
can. Your sister is now whetting her teeth."

Ivan Tsarevich then left the room, sat on his horse,
and went all the way back to the Sun. The mouselet
ran up and down on the strings of the harp, and the
sister never noticed that the brother had gone away.
When she had sharpened her teeth, she ran into the room,
but there was not a single soul to be seen there, even the
mouselet had crept back into its hole. And the witch
became furious, gnashed her teeth and made ready to

WITCH AND THE SISTER OF THE SUN 191

pursue Ivan Tsarevich. Ivan Tsarevich heard a noise
behind him, looked, and saw his sister had almost caught
him up, so he waved his handkerchief, and a deep lake
rose behind him. Whilst the witch was swimming
through the lake Ivan Tsarevich flew a vast way, and she
was swifter than he, and again came near.

Vertodub guessed Ivan was fleeing from his sister, and
piled oaks on the way, whirled a vast mass of them in
her path and she could not get through ; she had at
first to clear the road. So she gnawed and gnawed away,
and at last made herself a path. But Ivan Tsarevich in
the meantime had gained ground. So she followed him
farther, and she had almost caught him up.

When Vertogor saw what was happening, he seized
hold of the highest mountain, piled it up on the road
and stuck another on top of it. And the witch was very
furious, and began climbing up, and in the meantime
Ivan Tsarevich got far and far away. But the witch
soon got up and cried out : " This time you shall not
escape me."

He had got into the palace of the Sister of the Sun,
and cried out, " Sun, Sun ! open your big windows."
The Sun opened his window and Ivan Tsarevich leaped
in on his horse.

The witch asked him to give her her brother, but the
Sun would not. Then the witch said, " Ivan Tsarevich
must put himself on one balance and I will put myself
on the other, and if I am the heavier I will eat him up ;
and, if he is the heavier he shall lay me low."

So they went and set up the scales. First Ivan Tsare-
vich sat down on it, then the witch on the other side ;
but as soon as ever she had put her foot into it the
Tsarevich was hurled with such force into the house,
that he flew right into the very bosom of the sky, into
the chambers of the Sun, whilst the witch remained on
the earth.

MARYA MORYEVNA

hi a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there once lived
Ivan Tsarevich, who had three sisters: one was called
Marya Tsarevna, the second Olga Tsarevna, and the
third Anna Tsarevna. Their mother and father had
died : when they were dying they bade the son, " Who-
ever come first as a suitor for your sisters' hands, let
them take them ; do not keep them long with you."
The Tsarevich buried his parents ; and, in his grief,
went with his sisters to walk in a green garden. Then a
dark cloud appeared in the sky, and a fearful clap of
thunder was heard. " Let us go home, sisters," said
Ivan Tsarevich.

Soon they reached the palace : the thunder rattled
and the ceiling fell down, and the ceiling divided into
two. And a clear-eyed Hawk came into the room,
struck the ground, and turned himself into a fair,
doughty youth : " Hail, Ivan Tsarevich ! before, I
came to you as a guest, now I am coming to ask for your
sister's hand : I wish to marry Marya Tsarevna."

" If you wish my sister, I will not say you nay : take
her with God's -blessing."

Marya Tsarevna agreed, and the Hawk married her
and took her away to his own kingdom.

Then day followed day and hour foUcoved hour. One
whole year went by unheeded. Ivan Tsarevich stayed
with liis sisters in the green garden. Then there came
a cloud and there was thunder and lightaaiag. " Let us go
home, sisters," said the Tsarevich.

When they came to the palace there was a thunder-

192

MARYA MORYEVNA 193

clap, and the roof fell in and the ceiling was cleft in two,
and an Eagle flew in, struck the ground and turned him-
self into a doughty youth, and said, " Hail, Ivan Tsare-
vich ! formerly I came to you as a guest, now I come to
you as a suitor," And he asked for the hand of Olga,

And Ivan Tsarevich answered, " If Olga Tsarevna
pleases you, she may go to you-^I wiU not withstand
your will."

Olga Tsarevna was willing, and married the Eagle :
the Eagle laid hold of her and took her to his own
kingdom.

One year further went by, and Ivan Tsarevich said to
his youngest sister, " Let us go and have a walk in the
green garden," and they went for a little walk. And a
cloud came over the sky with thunder and lightning.
" Let us turn back, sister, home ! "

So they turned back home, and they had hardly sat
down when the thunder clapped and the ceiling was
divided into two, and a Crow flew in. And the Crow
struck the ground and turned himself into a doughty
youth. The former suitors were fair enough in them-
selves, but he was fairer still. " Formerly I came to you
as a guest, but now I come to you as a suitor : give me
your sister Anna."

" I wiU not withstand my sister's will ; if you are in
love with her she may have you."

And Anna Tsarevna went with the Crow, and he took
her to his own kingdom.

So Ivan Tsarevich was there alone, and for one. whole
year he hved there without any sisters, and began to feel
melancholy. " I will go," he said, " and seek my sisters."
So he started out on the road. He went on and on and
on. And there lay on the field an army of a great host
conquered. And Ivan asked them : " If there be any
man alive here, let him call ! Who slew this mighty
host?"

194 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

And one man who was still alive replied : " All this
mighty host was conquered by Marya Moryevna, the
fair princess."

And Ivan Tsarevich went on yet further, and he came
upon white tents, and Marya Moryevna came to meet
him, the fair queen.

" Hail," she said, " Tsarevich ! where is God taking
you ? Is it at your will or perforce ? "

And Ivan Tsarevich answered her : " Doughty youths
do not go perforce."

" Well, if you have no quest to accomplish, come and
stay in my tents." .

And Ivan Tsarevich was glad of this, and he stayed
two nights in the tents, fell in love with Marya Moryevna,
and married her.

Marya Moryevna took him with her to her own
kingdom, and they lived together for some time ; and
they thought of making ready for war ; and so she
handed all of her possessions over to Ivan, and said:
" Go everywhere, look at everything, only into this
lumber-room you must not look."

But he was impatient : as soon as Marya Moryevna's
back was turned, he at once opened the lumber-room,
opened the door and looked in, and there Koshchey the
Deathless was hanging.

Koshchey asked Ivan Tsarevich, " Have pity on me :
give me something to eat. I have been tortured here
for ten years. I have eaten nothing, I have drunken
nothing, and my throat is all dried up." Ivan Tsarevich
gave him a whole gallon of water : he drank it at a single
gulp, and he still asked, " I am still thirsty : give me a
gallon," and Ivan gave him a second gaUon, and yet a
third. And when he had drunk the third, he recovered
all his former strength, broke all his chains, shattered
them aU, all the twelve chains. " Thank you, Ivan
Tsarevich," Koshchey the Deathless said. " Now you

MARYA MORYEVNA 195

will never again see Marya Moryevna any more ! " and
with a fearful flash of lightning he flew into the country,
gathered up Marya Moryevna on the road, the fair
Queen, snatched her up and took her to himself.

Ivan Tsarevich wept bitterly, got ready and started
on his road : " Come what may, I wiU seek out Marya
Moryevna." And he went one day, and he went another
day, and on the dawning of the third day he saw a won-
derful palace, and in front of the palace there was an
oak, and on the oak there sat a clear-eyed hawk.

And the Hawk flew down from the oak, struck the
ground, turned into a doughty youth, and cried out,
" O my beloved brother : how is the Lord dealing with
you ? "

And Marya Tsarevna came out, went to meet Ivan
Tsarevich, asked him how he was, and began to tell him
all her own story.

So the Tsarevich abode as their guest for three days,
and then said, " I cannot stay with you any longer : I
am going to seek my wife Marya Moryevna the fair
Queen."

" This will be a hard search for you," answered the
Hawk. " At least leave a silver spoon here ; we can gaze
on it and think of you."

Ivan Tsarevich left his silver spoon with them, and
set out on his road.

So he went on one day and a second day, and at the
dawning of the third day he saw a palace fairer than the
first, and in front of the palace there was an oak, and an
eagle sat on the oak : the Eagle flew down from the tree,
struck the earth, turned into a doughty youth and cried :
" Rise, Olga Tsarevna, our dear brother has arrived."

Olga Tsarevna at once came to meet him, began kissing
and welcoming him, asking how he was, and they told
of all they had lived and done.

Ivan Tsarevich stayed with them three little days,

196 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

and then said, " I can no longer be your guest : I am
going seeking my wife, Marya Moryevna the fair Prin-
cess."

And the Eagle answered : " It will be an evil quest.
Leave us your silver fori ; we will look at it and think
of you."

So he left his silver fork, and he went on the road.

And a day went by and a second, and at the dawn of
the third day he saw a palace fairer than the first two.
And in front of the palace there was an oak, and on the
oak there perched a crow. And the Crow flew down
from the oak, struck the earth, turned into a doughty
youth, and cried out, " Anna Tsarevna, come out as
fast as you can : our brother has arrived."

Then Anna Tsarevna came out, met him joyously,
began to kiss and to welcome him, asking him how he was.
And they spoke of all they had lived and done.

After three days Ivan Tsarevich said, " I can stay no
longer with you ; I am going to seek my wife, Marya
Moryevna, the fair Queen."

" This will be a hard search for you," the Crow said.
"" At least leave us your silver snuff-box ; we can gaze
on it and think of you."

So Ivan Tsarevich left them his silver snuff-box, and
set out on his road.

Then a day went and another day, and on the third
day he at last reached Marya Moryevna. When she saw
her beloved through the window, she rushed out to him,
flung herself at his neck, wept, and said, " Oh ! Ivan
Tsarevich, why did you not obey me ? Why did you
look into the lumber-room and let Koshchey the Death-
less out ? "

" Forgive me, Marya Moryevna ; let bygones be
bygones : come away with me now, whilst Koshchey
the Deathless is away : possibly he may not catch us up."

So they went away.

MARYA. MORYEVNA 197

Now Koshchey was out hunting. Towards evening
he returned home, and his horse stumbled. " Why, you
sorry jade, are you stumbling, or is it some evil that you
fear ? "

And the horse answered : " Ivan Tsarevich has arrived,
and has taken away Marya Moryevna."

" Can one catch them up ? "

" You can sow wheat; wait until it grows up, harvest
it, thresh it, turn it into flour, make five stones of bread,
eat the bread, and then set out on the hunt, and we
shall succeed."

Koshchey leapt on the horse, caught up Ivan Tsarevich.
" Now," he said, " for the first time I will let you go for
your doughtyhood, as you fed me with water ; for the
second time I willlet you go ; for the third time, take
care: I wiU tear you to morsels." And he took Marya
Moryevna from him, took her away, and Ivan Tsarevich
sat. on the stone and cried.

And he cried and he cried, and again came back to
Marya Moryevna. Koshchey the Deathless was not at
home : " Let us start, Marya Moryevna."

" Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, he will catch us up."

" Well, let him ; still we shall have one or two hours
together."

So they started, and off they went.

Koshchey the Deathless came back home, and his good
horse stumbled under him. " Why, you sorry jade,
are you stumbling, or is it some evil thing which you
fear ? "

And the horse answered, " Ivan Tsarevich has again
arrived, and has taken Marya Moryevna away."

" Can one catch them up ? "

" It would be possible to sow barley and to wait until
it grpws up, reap it, thresh it, to brew beer, drink it
until you were drunk, sleep out your sleep and then
to go on the hunt, and we should still succeed."

198 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Koshchey leaped on his horse, caught up Ivan Tsare-
vich, and said, " I said you were not to see anything
more of Marya Moryevna ! " and he took her away with
him.

So Ivan Tsarevich was again left alone, and he wept
bitterly ; and once again he returned to Marya Mor-
yevna, and this time too Koshchey was not at home.
" Let us go, Marya Moryevna ! "

" Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, he will catch us up and he will
tear you to bits."

" Let him tear me to bits ; I cannot Hve without you."

So they got ready, and off they went.

Koshchey the Deathless returned home, and under
him his good horse stumbled. " Why do you stumble,
you sorry jade, or is it some evil that you fear ? "

" Ivan Tsarevich has arrived, and has taken Marya
Moryevna with him."

Koshchey leaped on his horse, caught up Ivan Tsare-
vich, broke him up into tiny bits, put them into a tar
cask, took this cask, locked it with iron bolts and threw
it into the blue sea. And he took Marya Moryevna away
with him.

At the same time the brothers-in-law of Ivan Tsare-
vich looked at their silver ornaments and found they
had turned black. " Oh," they said, " evidently some
disaster has befallen him ! " The Eagle rushed into the
blue sea, dragged out the cask to the shore, and the Hawk
flew for the Water of Life, and the Crow flew for the
Water of Death. Then they all three met at a single
spot and broke up the cask, took out the bits of Ivan
Tsarevich, washed them, laid them together as was fit :
then the Crow sprinkled him with the Water of Death,
and the body grew together and was one ; and the Hawk
sprinkled him with the Water of Life, and Ivan Tsarevich
shivered, sat up and said, " Oh, what a long sleep I have
had ! "

MARYA MORYEVNA 199

" But your sleep would have been very much longer
if we had not been there," answered the brothers-in-law.
" Now you must come and be our guest ! "

" No, brothers, I must go and seek Marya Moryevna."

So he came to her and said, " Go and find out from
Koshchey the Deathless where he got such a fine horse ! "

Then Marya Moryevna looked out for a good oppor-
tunity, and asked Koshchey the Deathless.

Koshchey answered, " Beyond thrice-nine lands, in
the thrice-tenth kingdom, beyond the river of fire, lives
the Baba Yaga. She has a mare on which every day she
rides round the whole of the world. She has many
splendid mares. I was there for three days as a herd,
and she would not let me have the mare ; but she gave
me one of the foals."

" How can one cross the river of fire ? "

" I have a kerchief : if you shake it to the right three
times a lofty bridge rises and the fires cannot overreach
it."

Marya Moryevna listened, told Ivan Tsarevich all
about it, and he took the cloth away. Ivan Tsarevich
crossed the river of fire and he reached the Baba Yaga :
but journeying afar, neither eating nor drinking. A
sea-bird came to meet him with her young. Ivan
Tsarevich asked if he might eat one of her chicks.

" Do not eat it," the sea-bird said ; " at some time
I shall be of service to you, Ivan Tsarevich."

Then he went farther, and he was in a wood, and he
saw a bee-hive. " Perhaps," he said, " I may take a
little honey."

Then the queen-bee answered him, " Do not touch
my honey, Ivan Tsarevich ; at some time or other I
shall be of service to you."

So he did not touch the honey, but went farther.
Then he met a lioness with her whelps. " May I eat
this lion-whelp ? I am so hungry ? "

200 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Do not touch it, Ivan Tsarevich," the lioness said ;
" at some time or other I shall be of service to you."

" Very well ; it shall be as you will."

So he went on hungry, and he went on and on and on,
and at last he reached the house of the Baba Yaga.
Round the house there were twelve poles, and on eleven
of the poles there were the skulls of men : only one as
yet was untenanted.

" Hail, hdbushka ! " he said.

" Hail, Ivan Tsarevich ! " she replied : " what have
you come for ? By your own good wiU or for need ? "

" I have come to earn of you a knightly horse."

" Very well, Ivan Tsarevich : you are to serve me not
one year, but only three days. If you can guard my
mares, I will give you a knightly horse ; if you cannot,
do not be angry, but your head must also lie on the last
of the stakes."

Ivan Tsarevich agreed, and Baba Yaga gave him drink
and food and bade him set to work. As soon as ever he
had driven the mares into the field, they all turned their
tails and ran in the meadows so far that the Tsarevich
could not trace them with his eyes : and thus they were
all lost. Then he sat down and wept, and became
melancholy, and sat down on a stone and went to sleep.

The sun was already setting when the sea-bird flew to
him, woke him up and said, " Arise, Ivan Tsarevich^ —
all the mares have gone home."

The Tsarevich got up, turned back home ; but Baba
Yaga was angry with her mares. " Why have you all
come home ? "

" Why should we not come home ? the birds flew
down from every quarter of the sky and almost clawed
out our eyes."

" Well, to-morrow do not stray in the meadows, but
scatter into the dreamy forest."

So Ivan Tsarevich passed that night ; and next day

M-ARYA' MORYtVNA , aoi

Baba Yaga said to him, "Look, Ivan Tsarevich, if you
do not keep, the mares well, i£ you lose one, then yorar
false head shall nod up and down on the stake."

So then he drove all the mares to the field, and this
time they turned their tails, and they ran into the
dreamy woods. And once again the Tsarevich sat on
the stone and wept and wept and went to sleep, and the
sun began to rest on the woods when the lioness ran up
and said, " Get up,' Ivan Tsarevich — all the mares have
been collected." Then Ivan Tsarevich got up and went
home.

And Baba Yaga was angry that the mares had come
home, and she called out to her mares, " Why have you
all come home ? "

And they answered, " How should we not come home ?
— ^wild beasts from all the four quarters of the world
assembled round us and almost tore us to bits."

" Well, you go to-morrow into the blue sea."

Gnce again Ivan passed the night there, and the next
day Baba Yaga sent her mares to feed. " If you do not
guard them, then your bold head shall hang on the pole."

He drove the mares into the field, and they at once
turned tail and vanished from his eyes and ran into the
blue sea and stood up to their necks in the water. So
Ivan Tsarevich sat on the stone, wept and went to sleep.
And the sun was already setting on the woods when the
bee flew up to him and said : " Get up, Ivan Tsarevich —
all the mares have been gathered together. But, when
you return home, do not appear before Baba Yaga ; go
into the stable and hide behind the crib. There there is
a mangy foal who will be rolling in the dung : steal him ;
and, at the deep of midnight, leave the house."

Ivan Tsarevich got up, went into the stable, aftd lay
behind the crib.

Baba Yaga made a tremendous stir and cried out to
her mares : " Why did you come back ? "

202 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" How should we not come back ? — all the bees from
every part of the world, visible and invisible, flew round
us, and they stung us till our blood flowed."

Baba Yaga went to sleep ; and that same night Ivan
Tsarevich stole the mangy steed from its stall, mounted
it and flew to the fiery river. He reached that river,
waved the cloth three times to the right ; and, at once,
from some strange source, a lofty, splendid bridge hung
all the way over. The Tsarevich crossed the bridge,
waved the cloth to the left twice, and all that was left
of the bridge was a thin thread.

In the morning Baba Yaga woke up and she could not
see the mangy foal, so she hunted to the chase : with aU
her strength she leapt into her iron mortar and she chased
after with the pestle, and very soon she was on their
track. When she came to the river of fire, she looked
across and thought, " Ah ha ha ! a fine bridge ! " Then
she went on to the bridge ; but as soon as she got on
to the bridge it snapped, and Baba Yaga slipped into the
river, and it was a savage death she had.

Ivan Tsarevich fed his foal on the green, and a splendid
horse grew out of him ; then the Tsarevich arrived at
the palace of Marya Moryevna. She rushed out, fell
upon his neck and said, " How has God blessed you ? "
And he told her how it had gone with him. " I am
frightened, Ivan Tsarevich ; if Koshchey catches us up
you will again be torn to atoms."

" No, he will not catch us up now ; I have a fine
knightly horse which flies like a bird." So they sat on
the horse and went.

Koshchey the Deathless came back home, and his
horse stumbled. " Oh, you sorry jade, why do you
stumble, or is it that you fear some evil ? "

" Ivan Tsarevich has arrived, and has taken away
Marya Moryevna."

" Can one catch them up ? "

MARYA MORYEVNA 203

" God knows ; now Ivan Tsarevich has a knightly
horse better than me."

" No, I will not stand it," Koshchey the Deathless
said. " We wiU up and after him ! "

And, sooner or later, so soon he caught up Ivan
Tsarevich, and he leapt to him and was going to cleave
him with his curved sabre ; but then the steed of Ivan
Tsarevich kicked Koshchey the Deathless with all his
might, and clove in his head, and the Tsarevich struck
him down with his club. Then the Tsarevich gathered
together a mass of timber, set fire to it, burnt Koshchey
the Deathless on the pile and scattered the dust to the
winds.

Marya Moryevna then sat on Koshchey's steed, and
Ivan Tsarevich on his own, and the two went and stayed
as guests, first of all with the Crow, then with the Eagle,
and lastly with the Hawk. Wherever they went they
were joyously received. " Oh ! Ivan Tsarevich, I am
so glad to see you ! We never expected to see you back.
And your work has not been in vain ; such a beauty as
Marya Moryevna might be sought for all over the world
and you would not have found any other."

So they were as guests and junketed well, and arrived
into their own kingdom, reached it and began to live a
life of joy enduring and to drink good mead.

THE REALM OF STONE

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, once there
lived a soldier who had served long and faithfully and
knew all about the Tsar's service, the reviews, and
always came up to parade looking clean and smart.
The last year of his service came along, and, to his ill-
luck, his superior officers, great and smaU, did not like
him, and as a result he was soundly thrashed. This
grieved the soldier, and he thought of deserting. So,
with his wallet on his back and his gun on his shoulder,
he began to bid farewell to his comrades, who asked him,
" Where are you going ? Do you want to enter a
battalion ? "

" Do not ask me, my brothers ; just buckle my wallet
firmly on, and do not think evil of me."

Then the good youth set forth whither his eyes gazed.
May be far, may be near, he went on and on, and arrived
at another kingdom, saw the sentry-guard and asked
" May I rest here ? "

So the sentry-guard told the Corporal, the Corporal
told the Officer, and the Officer told the General, and
the General told the King himself. And the King
ordered the soldier to be brought before him in order
that he might see him with his own eyes. And the soldier
appeared before him in his proper regimentals, with
musket on his shoulder, as though he were rooted to the
ground.

Then the King asked him, " Tell me on your faith
and oath, whence are you and where are you going ? "

" Your kingly Majesty, do not have me punished !

204

THE REALM OF STONE 205

Bid the word be not spoken." And he told the whole
story to the King, and asked to be admitted to the
service.

" Very well," said the King ; " come and serve me

as sentry in my garden. All is not well in my garden:

, somebody is breaking my best-loved trees, and you must

endeavour to preserve them ; and, as to the reward for

your labour, you shall not fare ill."

So the sentry agreed and stood as sentry in the garden.
For a year, for two years, he served on, and all went
well. But in the third year, as he went out, he went to
look in the garden, and saw that half of the best trees
had been shattered. " My goodness ! " he thought to
himself, " what a fearful misfortune ! If the King
observes this he will instantly have me pinioned and
hanged." So he took his gun in his hand, went to a
tree, and began pondering very hard. Then he heard a
crackling and a rumbling. So the good youth glimpsed
down, and he saw a fearful, huge bird flying into the
garden and overthrowing the trees. The soldier fired
at the bird, but could not kill it ; and could only wing

■ it on the right wing, and three feathers fell out of the
wing, but the bird took to flight. After him the soldier

■ dashed. The bird's wings were swift, and very speedily
it flew into a pit and vanished from sight. But the soldier
was not afraid and dived down after him into the pit,
fell into the deep crevasse, fell down flat and lay for
whole days unconscious.

When he came to himself he got up and he looked,
and he found himself in the subterranean world, where
there was the same light a§ was here. " I suppose there
are people here as well," he thought. So he went on and
on, and saw a great city and a sentry-box in front of it,
and in it a sentry. He began to. ask him questions, but
never an answer, never a movement ! So he took him
by the hand, and found that he was all stone. Then the

2o6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

^soldier went into the sentry-box : and there were many
people, and they stood or sat, only they had all been
turned to stone. He then set to wandering in the streets,
and everywhere it was the same — not a single live soul
to be seen ! Soon he came to a decorated, raised, clean-
cut palace, marched in there, and looked. Rich rooms ;
and food and drink of all. sorts were on the table ; and
all was silent and empty. So the soldier ate and drank ;
sat down to have a rest. Suddenly it seemed to him as
though some one had come up the steps. So he shouldered
his musket and went to the door.

A fair Tsarevna was coming in with her maids of
honour and attendants. The soldier bowed down to
her, and she curtsied to him kindly.

" Hail, soldier ! " she said. " By what ill doom have
you fallen down here ? "

So the soldier began to tell her. " I was engaged as
sentry in the imperial garden, and a big bird came and
flew round the trees and shattered them. I watched
him, fired at him, and three feathers fell out of his
wing. I began to chase after him, and arrived here."

Then she answered, " That bird is my own sister :
she does much evil of every kind and has set an ill doom
on my kingdom, having turned all my people to stone.
Listen ! here is a book for you. Stand here and read it
from evening time until the hour when the cocks crow.
Whatever suffering may come over you, do your duty ;
read the book, keep it close to you that they may not
tear it from you, otherwise you wiU not remain alive.
If you can stay here for three nights I will come and
marry you."

" Very well," said the soldier.

Soon it became dark, and he took the book and began
reading it. Then there was a knocking and a thunder-
ing, and an entire host appeared in the palace. AH his
former superiors appeared in front of the soldier, scolded

THE REALM OF STONE 207

him and threatened him with the punishment of death.
And they got their guns and were levelling them at him :
but the soldier never looked at them, never let the book
drop out of his hand, and simply went on reading. Then
the cocks crowed, and it all vanished !

On the next night it was still more terrible, and on
the third night worst of all. All the executioners came
up with their saws, axes, clubs, and wanted to break his
bones, put him on the rack, burn him at the stake, and
were devising any means of getting the book out of his
hand. It was fearful torture, and the soldier could
hardly endure it. Then the cocks crowed, and the
demons vanished !

At the same time the entire kingdom awoke, and in
the streets and in the houses people bestirred themselves,
and in the palace the Tsarevna and her generals and her
suite appeared, and all began to thank the soldier, and
they made him their king.

On the next day he married the fair Princess, and lived
with her in love and joy.

So the soldier, the peasant's son, became a Tsar, and
he still reigns.

He is a very good king over his subjects, and is very
generous to other soldiers.

THE STORY OF TSAR . ANGEY AND
HOW HE SUFFERED FOR PRIDE

Once there was in the city of Filuyan^ a Tsar named
Angey, who was very famxras. And, in course of time,
it came upon him to stand in the church at the Divine
Service at the reading of the sacred Gospel by the priest,
when the priest was reading those verses in the Gospel
in which it is said : He hath put down the mighty from
their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. And
when the Tsar heard this he grew angry, and the Tsar
spoke : " This writing is falsely written ; the word of
the Gospel is untrue." And the Tsar said : " I am very
rich and famous. How shall I be put down from my
seat and the humble and meek be exalted ? " And then
he was filled with fear. And the Tsar bade the priest
be confined in a dungeon, and he bade that page be
torn out of the Gospel Book. And the Tsar went to
his palace and began to eat and drink and be merry.

When the Tsar saw a deer in the fields, he went up
and he took his young men with him, and he hunted him
and almost capttired the deer ; and the deer was very
beautiful. And the Tsar spoke to his champions : " Do
ye stand here. I wiU go, and I alone wiU take the deer
alive." And he hunted after him, and they swam across
the stream. The Tsar tied his horse to an oak, and tied
his garments around him, and swam naked across the
stream. Then the deer became invisible, and an angel
of God stood by the Tsar's horse in the image of Tsar

^ A mythical city, very probably derived from BiXt],

2P8

THE STORY OF TSAR ANGEY 209

Angey and spoke to the youths. " The deer has swum
across the^ stream."

And he went with thje youths into the Tsar's city to
his palace.

But Tsar Angey went back for his horse, but he could
neither find his steed nor his apparel, and he remained
thpre naked and began to think. And Angey went up
to his city, and he saw shepherds feeding oxen, and he
asked them : " Ye lesser brothers, shepherds, where have
ye seen my horse and my garments ? " And the shep-
herds asked him : " Who art thou ? " He said to them :
" I am Tsar Angey." And the shepherds spake : " Wicked
boaster ! how darest thou call thyself the Tsar, for we
have seen Tsar Angey, who has just ridden into his city
with five youths ! " And they began to rebuke him and
to, beat him with whips and scourges. And the Tsar
began to weep and to sob. The shepherds drove him
afar, and he went naked into his city.

The trade folk of the city met him on his way and asked
him :. " Man, why art thou naked ? " And he said to
them : " Robbers have stolen my garments." And they
gave him a poor and tattered dress. He took it and bowed
down to them, and he went unto his city, and arrived
in his town, and he asked a widow if he might stay there
the night, and he questioned her, saying : " Say, my
mistress, who is the Tsar here ? " And she replied to
him. :. " Art thou not a man of our country ? "' And
she said :. " Our Tsar is Tsar Angey." He asked : " For
how many years has he been Tsar ? " And she said :
" For years five and thirty."

He then wrote a letter with his own hand to the
Tsaritsa, that he had secret things and thoughts to
speak of with her ; and he bade a woman take this letter
to the queen. The Tsaritsa received the letter and had
it read to her. He signed it as her husband. Tsar Angey.
And a great fear fell upon her, and in her fear she began

210 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

to speak : " How can this poor man name me his wife ?
I must inform the Tsar and have him punished." And
she bade him be beaten with whips mercilessly, without
informing the Tsar. He was pitilessly beaten, and was
scarcely left alive, and could hardly leave the town. He
wept and sobbed, and remembered the words of the
Gospel : He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
and hath exalted the humble and meek. And he spoke to a
pope of this, how he had profaned the Sacred Book, and
had sent the priest into th? dark dungeon, and had gone
a long, long way.

And the Tsaritsa spoke to the angel who was taking the
shape of the Tsar : " Thou, my dear lord, for one year
hast not slept with me. How can I, then, be thine ? "
And the Tsar spake to her : " I have made a covenant
with God that for three years I will not sleep with thee
nor share thy bed." And he left her and went into the
Tsar's palace.

Angey the Tsar arrived in an unknown town and
engaged himself with a peasant to reap the harvest ; and
he did not know how to do a peasant's work ; and the
peasant discharged him, and he began to weep and sob,
and went on his way from that city. And poor men
met him on the road. He said to them : " WiU ye take
me up with ye ? I am now a poor man, and do not know
how to work, and I am ashamed to beg. What ye bid
of me I will do. I will work for you." And they accepted
him and gave him a burden to carry. And they went to
lie at night, and they bade him heat the bath, carry
water, and lay the bed. And Tsar Angey wept bitterly :
" Woe to me ! What have I done ! I was wroth with
the Sovereign, and He has deprived me of my kingdom
and has brought me to ruin, and I have suflFered all this
through the word of the Gospel."

In the morning the poor men got up, and they arrived
at his own city of Filuyan. And they reached the abode

THE STORY OF TSAR ANGEY 211

of the Tsar and began to beg for alms. At this time the
Tsar was holding a mighty feast, and he bade the poor
be summoned into the palace, bade them be fed suffi-
ciently, and he bade the food of the poor men be taken
into the Tsar's palace and put into a special room.
And, when the Tsar's feast was over and the hoydrs^ and
the guests had all separated, the angel who had taken
the form of the Tsar Angey came to him in the palace
where Angey the Tsar was dining with the beggars :
" Dost thou know of a proud and mighty Tsar, how he
profaned the word of the Gospel ? " And he began to
teach him and to instruct him before all of the world,
that he must not profane the word of the Gospel, and
must show respect for the priests, and must not upraise
himself, but must be kindly and inclined to the ways of
peace.

1 Earls.

THE FEAST OF THE DEAD

Some girls were out at night for the evening, and
arranged for an evening party. They went out to get
some vodka. There were bones lying on the road.
" Ho ! " they said, "bones, bones, come and be our
guests : we are having an evening party."

So they went back home, brought the vodka, and
stepped in over the threshold.

But the bones came and sat at the table just like men,
and said to the maidens, " Now give us the brandy."

So the girls gave them brandy.

" Give us bread ! "

So they gave them bread.

They all sat down to eat, and one maiden dropped the
meat.

Then the bones began lifting and stretching their legs
under the bench. The girls tried to run away ; and the
bones raced after them. The bones caught one girl up,
and broke her across their knees. The other girls made
their escape into the loft ; one girl hid behind the
water-butt.

The bones ran up to the loft and asked : " What is
there up there ? "

" God's taper."

" But down there ? "

" The Devil's poker," she answered.

So the bones hauled the second girl out and strangled
her.

THE QUARRELSOME WIFE

" Father, I should like to marry ! Mother, I should
like to marry, I should really," said the youth.

" Well then, my child — marry." •

So he married, and chose a lanky, black, squinting wife.
She would have pleased Satan more than the clear^eyed ,
hawk, and it was no good frothing at anybody: he was
the only person in the wrong. So he lived with .her and
wrung his tears out with his fist. _

One day he went out where audiences were being
given, stood there, and came home.

" Wherever ,have you been saunterii^ ? " asked his
squint-eyed 'Wife. " What have you seen :? "

"Oh, they say that a new Tsar has come on the
throne and has issued a new -Uhaz that wives are to com-
mand their husbands ! " ,

- He only meant to joke, but she sprang up, pulled his
whiskers and said, " Go to the stream and wash the
shirts, take the broom and sweep the house, then go
and :sit by the cradle and :rock the child, cook the supper
and grill and bake the cakes."

"Bbe man wanted to answer, "What are you talking
about, woman ? That is 'not a man's wori." Then he
looked at her, and he froze cold andihis tongue clave to
his throat.

So :he got the washing together, baked the cakes,
:swept the cottage, and was no good for anything.

One year went by, and a second, arid the good youth
g©t rather weary of the yoke. But what on earth was
:he to do ? He ihad married and he hadtied himself for

213

214 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

all eternity, and, may-be, his entire life would go by in
this misery. ! iFrom sheer wretchedness he contrived him-
self this contrivance. In the forest there was a deep pit
of which neither end nor bottom could be seen.- So he
took and closed it up on the top with stakes, and strewed
it over with straw, i Then he came up to his wife : " My
dear wife, you don't know that there is a treasure in the
forest. • It simply moans and groans with gold, and will
not give itself up to me. It said, ' Send for your wife.' "

" Ha, ha ! let us go : I will take it, and you say
nothing about it." y

So they went into the wood. " Sssh, woman, that is
hollow ground out of which the treasure comes forth."

" Oh, what a fool you are of a peasant, frightened of
everything ! This is' iiow I run up to it." So she ran
up to the straw and was precipitated into the pit. ,

" Now, off you go," said the peasant ; " I am now
going to have a rest."

So he had a rest for a month, and a second month,
but he soon became melancholy without his squint-eyed
wife. So he went into the forest, and he went into the
field, and he went to the river, and he could only think
of her. \ *' Possibly by now she has become quiet. Possibly
I will take her out again.'i' So he took a withy, let it into
the ground, and he listened : she was sitting l:here. ■ He
drew it up, looked at it very near, looked very carefully,
and in the basl^t there was a little devil sitting. At this
the peasant was frightened, and almost let the cord fall
out of his hands. ^

Then the little devil begged him and cried in his ear : _
" Do let me go, peasant. Your wife has been torturing
and oppressing us. Tell me what to do' : I will be your
faithful servant. ■.-I will this very instant rug into the
boydrs' palace ; I will in an instant cook the grill ; by
day and night I will knock and dnve away the boydrs.*
You are to declare yourself a doctor to go and to call on -

THE QUARRELSOME WIFE 215

me. I will leap up on the spot and vanish. Now, go
and dig, ; shovel up your money." ► . .

So the peasant lef the devil leap out, shake himself,,,
and vaaisL away. And from that day ever'ytliing' went'
upside down in the boydrs' house, and they began looking
for some doctor: the good youth dubbed himself a
doctor, exorcised the devil, and received good pay.
Soon the rumour went forth that in the prince's palace,
in the lofty castle home, familiar spirits were appearing,
"and never gave the princes rest...sThey sent for hunters
in every part of the earth, and summoned them to as-
semble doctors. They collected from all the kings : it
was no good. ^ The familiar spirits still knocked and
groaned.

■* At last our doctor arrived, recognised his old acquain-
tance, called for his little devil, and the little devil never
thought of running away, and he would not leave the
prince's palace. " Wait a httle, if this is the case," cried
the doctor.: " Ho, my squint-eyed wife, just come up
here!" Then the , little , devil could not stand it and

.took to his heels out of the stove

So the doctor received honour and praise, and earned
a mine of money. !• But it is said, not untruly, that, even
in Paradise, it is sad to live alone. . For the "good youth
grew melancholy, and .he again went to seek his squint-
eyed wife. V So he let down the basket right away into
the pit. -There the woman was sitting, and he hauled
her. to the top. , As soon as ever she came near she was
breathing out fire and fury, gnashing her teeth and
brandishing her fists. <The peasant's hands shook with
fear, and the withy broke, and the squint-eyed woman
clashed down as before into Hell.^ ,

ELIJAH THE PROPHET AND ST. NICHOLAS

Once, a long time ago, there lived a peasant. He alway;s
observed St. Nicholas' day, but never, never, that of
St. Elias ; he even worked on it. He used to say a Te
Deum to Nicholas, and burn a taper, but never gave as
much as a thought to the Prophet Elijah.

One day Elijah and Nicholas were walking through
this peasant's fields, going along and surveying; and
the ears were so large, so full, that it warmed -one's heart
to look at them !

" What a fine crop this will be ! " said Nicholas.
" Yes, and he's a fine feUow, a good, brave peasant,
pious ; he remembers God, and reveres the Holy Saints.
Whatever he turns his hand to shall prosper."

" Ha, let's have a look, brother," Elijah demurred.
" Will there be so much over ? My lightnings shall
glint and niy hail beat his field down ; then your peasant
shall learn right, and regard my name-day."

So they wrangled and argued, and at last agreed to go
each his own way.

St. Nicholas at once went off to the peasant, and said :
" Go and sell the Father by St. EHas' all your standing
corn : not a blade will be left ; it will be destroyed by
hail."

Up the peasant dashed to the pope : " Oh, bdtyushka,
won't you buy all my standing corn ? I'll sell you my
whole field ; I am so short of money ; take it and give
it me. Do buy it. Father ; I'll sell it cheap."

They haggled and bargained, and at last agreed. The
peasant took his cash and went home.

216

ELIJAH THE PROPHET AND ST. NICHOLAS 217

Time went hy — ^not much, nor little ; a heavy -thun-
drous cloud gathered, and, with frightsome lightning and
hail, played on the peasant's field, cut through ^his crops
like a scythe, and left not one blade to tell the tale.

Next day, Elijah and Nicholas were faring through,
and Elijah said : " Look how I've blasted the peasant's
field ! "

" The peasant's field ? No, my brother, no .; you've
done your work thoroughly ; but it belongs to the pope
by St. Elias, not to the' peasant."

"What! That pope?"

" Oh, yes ; about a week ago the peasant sold the
field to the pope, and got hard cash for it ! And the
pope is crying over the spilt money."

" That won't do," said Elijah ; " I will grow the
•meadow anew — 'twill be as good as it was."

They had their talk out and went on their way.

Up went St. Nicholas to the peasant once again. " Go
and see the pope," he said, "and redeem your field;
you won't lose by it."

The ipeasant went to see the pope. " The Lord has

grievously fitfilicted you, has smitten your field with hail,

as smooth as a board. Let's share the cost o£ it ,; I will

take back my field, and to relieve your loss will return

-you half the money."

Oh, how glad the pope was to consent ! They shook
hands on it at once.

Meanwhile, soinehow or other, the peasant's field
xighted itself ; new shoots sprang up out of the old roots,
the rain poured down on them, and nourished the earth,;
wonderful fresh corn grew up, lofty and thick ; not a
weed to be seen ; and the ears were so full that they
bowed down to earth. The little sun warmed them,
and the rye was warmed through, and waved like a
field of gold. The peasant bound up sheaf after sheaf,
built riok after rick ; carted it away and stacked it.

2i8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Just then Elijah and St. Nicholas were once more
passing by. Elijah looked blithely at the field and said :
" Just look, Nicholas, what a blessing I have wrought !
This is nay reward to the pope, and he'll never forget it
all his Hfe."

" The pope ! No, brother ; it is a great boon, but then
this is the peasant's field ; the pope hasn't a rod of it ! "

" Wha-at ? "

" It is true. After the meadow had been battered by
hail, the peasant went up to the pope and bought it
back at half price."

" Stop a bit," said the Prophet Elijah, " I'll take all
the good out of it ; out of all the peasant's ricks he shall
not thresh more than six gallons at a time."

" Here, this looks bad," thought St. Nicholas, and
instantly went to see the peasant, and said : " See to it ;
when you start threshing, never take more than a sheaf
at a time on the threshing-floor."

So the peasant set to threshing, and he got six gallons
out of every sheaf ; all his granaries and lofts were full
up with rye, and still there was much left over ; he built
new storehouses, and filled them full to the flush.

But one day Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas were
passing by his courtyard, and Elijah glanced up and said :
" Why has he built these new granaries ? How can he
stock them all ? "

" They're fuU up," St. Nicholas replied.

" How did he get so much grain ? "

" Oho ! Every sheaf yielded him six gallons, and, as
soon as he started threshing, he brought them in sheaf
by sheaf."

" Oh, my brother Nicholas ! " Elijah guessed : " you
must have told him what to do ! "

" Well, I thought it all out, and was going to say . . ."

" What are you after ? It's all your work. Never
mind ; your peasant shall still have a reminder of me."

ELIJAH THE PROPHET AND ST. NICHOLAS 219

" What wiU you do ? "

" I shall not tell you this time ! "

" Well, if evil is to be, it will come."

Nicholas thought, and again went to the peasant, told
him to buy two tapers, one big and one small, and gave
him instructions.

Next day Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas were
out together in the guise o£ wanderers, and the peasant
happened to meet them, carrying two waxen candles —
one big one that cost a rouble, and a Uttle one that cost
a copek.

" Where are you going to, peasant I " St. Nicholas
said.

" Oh, I am going to light the rouble taper to the
Prophet Elijah ; he has been so charitable to me. My
field was ravaged by hail, so he intervened, bdtyushka,
and gave me a crop twice as good."

" For whom is the farthing dip ? "

" Oh, for St. Nicholas ! " the peasant said, and pur-
sued his way.

" There you are, Elijah," said St. Nicholas : " you said
I gave everything away to the peasant ; now you see
what the truth is."

And with this the dispute was ended : Elijah the
Prophet was reconciled, and ceased persecuting the
peasant with hail-storms, so that he lived a merry life
from that day and honoured both name-days equally.

THE PRINCESS TO BE KISSED AT A CHARGE

We still say that we are clever, but our elders go and
quarrel with us and say, " No, we had more sense than
you." But the tale tells that, even when our grand-
fathers had not learned their lessons and our great-
great-great-great-grandfathers had not been born, in a
certain iingdoto, in a certain land, once there lived an old
man who had taught his three sons reading and writing.

" Now, children," he said to them, " I shall die ; do
you come and read prayers over my grave."

" Very well, bdtyushka" the three sons answered.
And the two elder brothers were indeed fine lads, and
they grew up fine stout fellows ; but the youngest,
Vanyushka,^ was under-sized, like a starved ducHing,
and flat-chested. The old man, their father, died.

Just about then a decree was issued by the Tsar that
his daughter, Elena Tsarevna the Fair, had ordered a
temple to be built for her, with twelve columns and
twelve wreaths. She was going to sit in this temple on a
lofty throne, and was going to wait for the bridegroom —
the valiant man who should on a flying horse, at a single
spring, kiss her on the lips. All the young folks were bust-
ling about, washing themselves clean, combing their hair,
and considering to whom should the great honour fall.

" Brothers," Vanyiishka said, " our father is dead :
who of us will go and read prayers on his grave ? "

" Whoever wishes may go," answered the brothers.

So the youngest went. But the elders got ready and
mounted their horses, curled their hair, dyed their hair ;
and all their kinsmen gathered round.

' Diminutive of Ivin ; so too V^nya.

220

THE PRINCESS TO BE KISSED 221

Then the second night came :. " Brothers, I read the
prayers last night," Vanya said ; " it's your turn ; which
of you will go ? "

" Any one who wishes may go ; don't interfere with us."

They gave their hats a knowing tilt, whooped and
ahcuted, flew about, and rushed and galloped abroad on
the open fields ; and once again Vanya read the prayers ;
and so, too, on the third night. But the brothers saddled
their horses, combed out their whiskers, and got ready
on the very morrow to try their prowess in front of the
eyes of Elena the Fair. " What about our youngest
brother ? " they thought.

" Never mind about him ; he will only disgrace us
and make people smile : let us go by ourselves." So
they started.

But Vanya also very much wanted to look at Princess
Elena the Fair, and so he wept sorely, and he went to
his father's grave, and his father heard him in his last
home, and he came up to him, shook off the grey earth
from his forehead, and said, " Do not grieve, Vanyushka ;
I wiU aid you in your sorrow." Then the old man got up,
whistled and halloed with a young man's voice, with a
nightingale's trill ; and from some source or other a
horse ran up, and the earth trembled, and from his
nostrils and. from his ears flames issued forth. He
breathed smoke, and stood in front of the old m,an as
though he were rooted to the ground, and asked him,
" What do you wish ? "

Vanya mounted the horse by one ear, dismounted it
by the other, and turned into so fine a youth as no tale
can teU and no pen can write. He sat on the horse,
bent over sideways ;. and he flew like your hawk over
there,, straight to the palace of Elena the Fair Tsarevna.
He stretched out, leaped on,, and he did not reach two
of the crowns. He again made an effort, flew up^
jumped ; there was only one wreath left. He made

222 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

one more effort, turned round once more, and, as fire
leaps to the eyes, he instantly kissed and smacked Elena
the Fair on the lips. " Who is it ! Who is it ! Catch
him ! " For his very trace had vanished. Then he
leapt back to his father's grave, and he let bis horse free
into the open field ; and he then bowed down to the
earth and asked advice of his father, and the old man
gave him advice. Vanya went back home as though he
had never been there ; and the brothers told him where
they had been, what they had done and seen ; and he
listened as though he had never heard of it before.

There was another bout next day, and you could
never see an end of the boydrs and the lords seated at
the royal palace. The elder brothers started out, and
the younger brother set out on foot secretly and quietly,
just as though he had never kissed the Tsarevna, and he
stopped in his distant corner. Elena Tsarevna was
asking for her bridegroom ; Elena Tsarevna was wishing
to show him to the whole world, desiring to give him
the half of her kingdom ; but never a bridegroom
appeared. They were looking for him in the midst of
the boydrs, in the midst of the generals ; and they went
to them all, but they could not find him. But Vanya
looked on and smiled, and waited until his bride came
to him. For he said, " I won her like a knight ; now she
is to love me in my kaftan."

So she got up, looked out of the open windows,
glanced through them all, and then she saw and recog-
nised her bridegroom, took him to herself, and soon the
betrothal took place. And oh, what a fine young man
he was — so sensible, brave, and so handsome ! He used
to sit on his flying horse, undo his cap, put his arms
a-kimbo ; and he seemed like a king, like the reigning
king ; and you looked on, and you would never have
imagined that at one time he could ever have been poor
Vanyushka.

THE WOOD SPRITE

One day the daughter of a pope, without asking leave
of her mother or her father, went for a walk into the
wood, and utterly lost her way. Three years went by.
Now, in this wood, in which her mother and father
lived, there was a bold hunter. On every holy day he
used to go hunting with his gun and his dog in the
dreamy forest.

One day he went into the wood, and the hairs of his
dog bristled up. Then the hunter looked, and in front
of him there was a stump on the wood path, and a
Peasant stood on the stump and was cleaning his bast
shoe. He went on with his shoe and was threatening
the moon : " Light, give me light, clear moon." It was
all very strange to the hunter. " Why does this
Peasant," he thought, " live by himself ? He looks so
young, but his hair is quite grey."

He only thought this, but the Peasant guessed his
thought and said, " Why am I grey ? Because I am
the Devil's grandfather."

Then the hunter understood that it was no mere
peasant he saw, but the Wood Sprite, and he aimed
at him with his gun, Bang ! and he hit him in the beUy.
The Wood Sprite groaned, almost fell down from the
stump, and that very instant jumped up again and
crept into the thicket. After him ran the dog, and after
the dog ran the hunter. So he went on and on and on,
and he came up to the mountains, and on one of the
mountains there was a fissure, and in the fissure stood a
little hut.

223

224- RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

He entered the hut and looked, and there was the
Wood Sprite rolling on a bench, absolutely out of breath,
and beside him a maiden who was weeping bitterly.
" Who will now give me food and drink ? "

" Hail, fair maiden ! " said the hunter ; " tell me
what you are and whence."

" O doughty youth, I do not know myself : I have
never seen the free world, and I have never known my
father and mother."

" Well, come quickly, I will take you back to Holy
Russia." So he took her with him and led her out of
the wood, and he went through the villages, inquiring
of all of the places. Now, this maiden had been taken
away by the Wood Sprite, and had lived with him for
three whole years, and she had been enclosed and cut
off, and was almost entirely naked, but she had no shame.
Then they came to the village, and the huntsman began
to ask whether anyone had lost a maiden.

Then the pope said, " This is my daughter." And
the pope's wife came: "Oh, my dear daughter, where
have you been so long ? I never thought I should see
you any more."

Then the daughter looked at them, but was simply
staggered and understood nothing, and only afterwards,
little by little, came to herself. The pope and his wife
gave her in marriage to the huntsman and rewarded
him with all good things.

Then they went to look for the izbd^ in which she had
lived with the Wood Sprite. They wandered far into
the woods, but could not find it.

1 Hut.

THE REALMS OF COPPER, SILVER AND GOLD

Once upon a time there was an old man and his old
wife, and they had three sons. One was called Egorushko
Zalyot ;^ the second was called Misha Kosolapy ;^ and
the third was called Ivashko Zapechnik.^ The parents
wanted to secure wives for them, and sent the eldest son
out to seek a bride. He went for a long time, and saw
many maidens, but he took none to wife, for he liked
none well enough. On the way he met a three-headed
dragon, and was very frightened.

The dragon asked him, " Whither are you going, brave
youth ? "

" I am going a-wooing, but I cannot find a bride."

" Come with me ; I will take you where you may find
one."

So they journeyed together till they came to a great
heavy stone ; and the dragon said to him : " Lift that
stone off, then you will find what you are seeking."
And Egorushko endeavoured to lift the stone away, but
he failed. Then the dragon said : " I have no bride
for you here ! "

So Egorushko went back home, and he told his father
and mother all he had gone through. And the parents
reflected for a long time. And they at last sent Misha
Kosolapy on the same journey. He met the dragon after
many days, and asked him to show him how he should
get a bride. The dragon bade him go with him. And
they came to the stone. Misha tried to lift it away, but

1 A bold flier. ^ Bandy-legged.

' Sitting behind the stove.

226 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

in vain ; so he returned to his parents and told them
all he had gone through.

This time the parents were at an utter loss what they
should do. Ivashio Zapechnik could not have any better
luck ! But still Ivashko asked his parents' leave to go to
the dragon, and after some reluctance he obtained it.

Ivashko met the three-headed dragon, who asked him :
" Where are you going, sturdy youth ? "

" My brothers set out to marry, but they could find
no brides. It is now my turn."

" Come with me ; perhaps you may win a bride."

So the dragon and Ivashko went up to the stone, and
the dragon commanded him to lift the stone up, and
Ivashko thrust the stone, and it flew up from its bed
like a feather, as though it were not there, and revealed
an aperture in the earth, with a rope ladder.

" Ivashko," said the dragon, " go down that ladder ;
and I will let you down into the three kingdoms, and in
each of them you wiU see a fair maiden."

So Ivashko went down, deeper and deeper, right down
to the realm of copper, where he met a maiden who was
very fair.

" God greet you, strange guest ! Sit down where you
may find room, and say whence you come."

" Oh, fair maiden, you have given me nothing to eat
and drink, and you ask me for my news ! "

So the maiden gave him all manner of meat and drink
and set them on the table.

Ivashko had a drink, and then said : " I am seeking a
bride ; will you marry me ? "

" No, fair youth ! go farther on into the silver king-
dom. There there is a maiden who is much fairer than
I." Thereupon she gave him a silver ring.

So the young boy thanked her for her kindness, said
farewell ; and he went farther until he reached the
silver kingdom. There he saw a maiden who was fairer

REALMS OF COPPER, SILVER AND GOLD 227

yet tiaan the former, and he prayed and bowed down low.
" Good day, fair maiden ! "

" Good day, strange youth ! Sit down and tell me
whence you come and what you seek."

" But, fair maiden, you have given me nothing to eat
or drink, and you ask my news ! "

So the maiden put rich drink and food on the table,
and Ivashko ate as much as he would. Then he told her
that he was seeking a bride, and he asked her if she would
be the bride. " Go yet farther into the golden realm ;
there there- is a maiden who is yet much fairer than I ! "
the girl said, and she ^ave him a golden ring.

Ivashko said farewell, and went yet farther, went
deeper stiU, into the golden realm. There he found a
maiden who was much, very much fairer than the others,
and there he said the right prayer, and he saluted the
maiden.

" Whither art thou going, fair youth ; and what do
you seek ? "

" Fair maiden, give me to eat and drink, and I will
tell you my news."

So she got him so fine a meal that no better meal on
earth could ht wished, and she was so fair that no pen
could write and no tale could tell.
^ — Jvashko set to valorously, and then he told his tale.
" I am seeking a bride ; if you will marry me, come with
me ! "

So the maiden consented, and she gave him a golden
ball. Then they went on and on together, until they
reached the silver realm, where they took the maiden
who was there ; and they went on and on and on from
there to the copper realm, and took this maiden with
them as well. And then they came to the hole through
which they were to climb out. The rope ladder stood
all ready, and there there stood the elder brothers, who
were looking for him, Ivashko tied the maiden out of

228 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

the copper realm to the ladder, and the brothers Hfted
her out, and they let the ladder down again. Then
Ivashko laid hold of the maiden from the silver realm,
and she was drawn up, and the ladder let down again.
This time the maiden from the golden realm came,
and was also drawn up. When the steps were let down
again, Ivashko sat on them, and the brothers drew it up
into the height. But when they saw that this time it
was Ivashko Zapechnik who sat on it, they began to
reflect : " If we let him out perhaps he will not give us
any of the maidens." So they cut the steps down, and
Ivashko fell down. He wept bitterly, but it was no good.
He went down farther, and he then came across a tiny
old man, who sat on a tree-stem and had a long white
beard. Ivashko told him how it had been.

The old man advised him once more to go on. " You
will come to a little hut. Enter it and you will see a
long man lying in it from one corner to the other. Ask
him how you shall reach Russian land once more."

So Ivashko went up to the hut, stepped in and said :
" Strong giant, ^ spare me, and tell me how I shall get
home again."'

" Fi, fo, fum, you Russian bones ! " said IdoUshche, " I
did not summon you, and stiU you have come. Go to
the thrice-tenth sea, there there stands a hut on cocks'
legs in which the Baba Yaga lives. She has an eagle who
will carry you."

So the young boy went on and on, a far way, to the
hut, and he stepped in.

The Baba Yaga cried out at once, " Fi, fo, fum,
Russian bones, why have you come here ? "

*' Oh, mother, the giant Idolishche sent me to ask
you to lend me your mighty eagle to carry me to Russia."

" Go," said Baba Yaga, " into the garden. At the
gate there stands a watchman ; take his keys and pass
^ Idolishche, i.e. Big idol.

REALMS OF COPPER, SILVER AND GOLD 229

through seven doors, and when you open the last the
eagle will flap his wings. Sit on his back if you are not
afraid, and fly away. But take meat with you and give
him to eat whenever he turns round."

Ivashko did as he was bidden, sat on the eagle and flew
away. The eagle flew on, flew on ; then he soon turned
his head round, and Ivashko gave him a bite of flesh.
Then the eagle flew on afar, and turned round again,
and Ivashko fed him. And he fed him until he had
nothing more left, and Russia was still far off. Then
the eagle turned round, and as he had no flesh, he tore
a fragment out^of Ivashko's withers and ate it up. But
they had already reached the aperture. When Ivashko
parted from the eagle, he spat a bit of flesh out and bade
Ivashko lay it on him. And Ivashko did so, and his body
healed ; and Ivashko went home, took the maiden from
the golden realm from his brothers ; and they then lived
happily, and may still be living if they are not dead.

I was there and I drank beer ; I drank the beer, and
it flowed up to my whiskers, but none of it reached my
mouth.

CHUFlL-FlLYUSHKA

Once upon a time there were three brothers in a family ;
the eldest was called the Ram, the second the Goat, and
the third and youngest Chufil-Fflyushka.^ One day all
three went into the forest, where the warder lived who
was their real grandfather. With him Ram and Goat
left their own brother Chufil-Filyushka, and went out
into the forest to hunt. Filyushka had all his own will
and way : his grandfather was old, and a great stupid ;
and Filyushka was generous. He wanted to eat an
apple. So he eluded his grandfather, got into the
garden, and climbed up the apple-tree.

All of a sudden, Heaven knows where from, who
should come but the Yaga-Bura,^ with an iron mortar,
and a pestle in her hand ; she leaped up to the apple-
tree, and said, " How are you, Filyushka ? What have
you come here for ? "

" Oh, to pluck an apple ! " said Filyushka.

" Well, then, dearie, have a bite of mine ! "

" No, it's a rotten one," said Filyushka.

" Well, here's another one ! "

" No, it's all wormy ! "

" Don't be saucy ; just come up and take one out of
my hand."

He stretched out his hand. Then Yaga-Bura gripped
it tight, put him into the mortar, and made off, leaping

^ Qe6<f>i\os.

^ An equivalent to the Baba Yaga.

230

CHUFlL-FlLYUSHKA 231

over hills, and forests, and clefts ; and swiftly with the
pestle driving the mortar.

Then Filyushka remembered himself, and began to
cry out, " Goat, Ram, come along quick. Yaga has
carried me away beyond the high, steep hills, the dark,
lone woods, the steppes, where the geese roam."

The Ram and the Goat were just then resting. One
was lying on the ground, and heard a noise of somebody
shouting. So he told the other one : " Come and lie
down, and listen ! "

" Oh, it's our Filyushka crying."
Off they went and ran and ran, and ran the Yaga-
B-iira down, saved Filyushka and brought him home to
his grandfather, who had nearly gone out of his mind
with fright ! They told him to look after Filyushka
better, and went out again.

But Filyushka was a real boy, and the first chance he
got, oii he was again to the apple-tree, clambered up.
There was the Yaga-Bura again, and offering him an
apple.

" No, you won't catch me this time, you old beast ! "
said Fflyushka.

" Don't be unkind — do just take an apple from me ;
I'll throw it to you ! "

" Right : throw it down."

Then Yaga threw him down an apple : he stretched
out his hand, and she clutched it and leapt over hills,
and valleys, and dark forests, so fast that it seemed like
a twinkling of an eye, got him into her home, washed
him, went out and put him into the bunk.

In the morning she made ready to go out, and ordered
her daughter, " Listen ! heat the oven well, very hot,
and roast me Chufil-Filyushka for supper." And she
went out to seek further booty.

The daughter went and got the oven thoroughly hot,
took ouit and bound Filyushka, and put him on the

232 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

shovel, and was just going to shove him into the oven,
when he went and knocked his forehead with his feet.

" That's not the way, Filyushka," said the daughter
of the Yaga-Biira. '

" How then ? " he answered. " I don't understand."

" Look here, just let go ; I'll show you." She went
and lay down on the shovel in the right fashion.

But, although Chufil-Filyushka was small, he was no
fool ! He stuffed her at once into the oven, and shut
the oven-door with a bang.

About two or three hours later Filyushka smelt a
smell of good roast meat, opened the door, and took out
the daughter of the Yaga-Bura well-cooked ; buttered
it over, put it into the frying-pan and covered it with
a towel, and put it into the bunk ; then he cHmbed up
to the roof-tree and took away the business-day pestle
and mortar of the Yaga-Bura.

About evening-time, the Yaga-Bura came in, went
straight to the bunk and took the roast meat out ; ate
it all up, collected all the bones, laid them out on the
ground in rows, and began to roU on them. But some-
how she could not find her daughter, and thought she
had gone away to another cottage to weave. But sud-
denly, whilst she was roUing, she said, " My dear daughter,
do come to me and help me roll Fflyushka's little bones ! "

Then Filyushka cried out from the rafters : " Roll
away, mother, and stand on your daughter's little
bones ! "

" Are you there, you brigand ! You just wait, and
I'll give it you ! "

But little Chufil was not frightened, and when the
Yaga-Biira, gnashing her teeth, stamping on the ground,
had got up to the ceiling, he just got hold of the pestle
and with all his might struck her on the forehead, and
down she flopped. Then Filyushka climbed up on to
the roof, and saw some geese fljdng, and called out to

CHUFlL-FlLYUSHKA 233

them, " Lend me your wings ; I want wings to carry
me home."

They lent him their wings, and he flew home.

But they had long, long ago been praying for the
repose o£ his soul at home, and how glad they were to
see him turn up alive and sound ! So they changed the
requiem for a merry festival, and hved out their lives,
and lived on to receive more good yet !

DONOTKNOW

Here begins the tale of a grey horse, a chestnut horse
and of the wise fallow-bay. On the shore of the ocean,
in the isle of Buyan, there stood a roasted ox, and behind
pounded garlic : on the one side cut your meat, on the
other dip deep and eat.

Once upon a time there lived a merchant who had a
son, and when the son grew up he was taken into the
shop. Now, the first wife of the merchant died, and he
married a second.

After some months the merchant made ready to sail
to foreign lands, and he loaded his ship with goods and
he bade his son look after the house well and attend to
business duly.

Then the merchant's son asked, " Bdtyushka,^ when
you go, get me my luck ! "

" My beloved son," answered the old man, " where
shall I find it ? »

" It is not far to seek, my luck. When you get up to-
morrow morning, stand at the gates and buy the first
thing that meets you and give it to me."

" Very well, my son."

So next day the father got up very early, stood out-
side the gates, and the first thing that met him was
a peasant who was selling a sorry, scabby foal — mere
dog's meat. So the merchant bargained for it and got
it for a silver rouble, took the foal into the courtyard
and put it into the stable.

1 Father.
234

DONOTKNOW 235

Then the merchant's son asked him, " Well, hdt-
yushka, what have you found as my luck ? "

" I went out to find it, and it turned into a very poor
thing."

" Well, so it really had to be : whatever luck the
Lord has given us we must use."

Then the father set sail with his goods into foreign
lands, and the son sat on the counter and engaged in
trade. He grew into the habit, whether he were going
into the shop or returning home, always to go and
stand in front of his f oal.-

Now, his stepmother did not love her stepson, and
looked out for fortune-tellers to learn how to get rid
of him. At last she found an old wise woman, who
gave her a poison and bade her put it under the threshold
just when her stepson was coming in. As he came back
from the shop, the merchant's son went into the stable
and saw that his foal was standing in tears, and so he
stroked him and asked, " Why, my good horse, do you
weep ? Why your counsel do you keep ? "

Then the foal answered, " Oh, Ivan the merchant's
son, my beloved master, why should I not weep ? Your
stepmother is trying to ruin you. You have a dog :
when you go home let it go in front of you, and you will
see what will come to it."

So the merchant's son listened, and as soon as ever
the dog crossed the threshold it was torn into small
atoms.

Ivan the merchant's son never let his stepmother
know that he saw through her spite, and set out next day
to the shop, whilst the stepmother went to see the
soothsayer. So the old woman got a second poison, and
bade her put it into the trough. In the evening, as he
went home, the merchant's son went into the stable ;
and once more the foal was standing on tip-toes and in
tears ; and he struck him on the haunches and said,

236 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Why, my good horse, do you weep ? Why your
counsel do you keep ? "

Then the foal answered, " Why should I not weep,
my master, Ivan the merchant's son ? I hear a very
great misfortune — ^that your stepmother wishes to ruin
you. Look when you go into the room and sit down
at the table : your mother will bring you a draught in
the glass. Do you not drink it, but pour it out of the
window : you will yourself see what will happen out-
side."

Ivan the merchant's son did as he was bidden and as
soon as ever he had thrown the draught out of the
window it began to rend the earth ; and again he never
said a single word to his stepmother ; so she still thought
that he was in the dark.

On the third day he went to the shop, and the step-
mother again went to the soothsayer. The old woman
gave her an enchanted shirt. In the evening, as he was
going out of the shop, the merchant's son went up to
the foal, and he saw that there stood his good horse on
tip-toes and in tears. So he struck him by the bridle
and said, " Why do you weep, my good horse ? Why
your counsel do you. keep ? "

Then the foal answered him, " Why should I not
weep ? Do I not know that your stepmother is wishing
to destroy you ? Listen to what I say. When you go
home your stepmother wiU send you to the bath, and
she will send the boy to you with a shirt. Do not put
on the shirt yourself, but put it on the boy, and you will
see yourself what will come of it."

So the merchant's son went up to his attic, and his
stepmother came and said to him, " Would you not hke
to have a steam bath ? The bath is now ready."

" Very well," said Ivan, and he went into the bath,
and very soon after the boy brought him a shirt. As
soon as ever the merchant's son put it on the boy he that

DONOTKNOW 237

very instant closed his eyes and fell on the floor, as though
he were dead. And when he took the shirt off him
and cast it into the stove, the boy revived, but the stove
was split into small pieces.

The stepmother saw that she was doing no good, so
she again went to the old soothsayer and asked and
besought her how she should destroy her stepson. The
old woman answered, " As long as the horse is aKve
nothing can be brought about. But you pretend to be
ill, and when your husband comes back tell him, ' I saw
in my sleep that the throat of our foal must be cut and
the liver extracted, and I must be rubbed with the liver ;
then my disease will pass away.' "

Some time after the merchant came back, and the
son went out to meet him.

" Hail, my son ! " said the father. " Is all well with
you at home ? "

" All is well, only mother is ill," he answered.

So the merchant unloaded his wares and went home,
and he found his wife lying in the bedclothes groaning,
saying, " I can only recover if you will fulfil my dream."

So the merchant agreed at once, summoned his son
and said, " Now, my son, I want to cut the throat of
your horse : your mother is iU, and I must cure her."

So Ivan the merchant's son wept bitterly and said,
" Oh, father, you wish to take away from me my last
luck ! " Then he went into the stable.

The foal saw him and said, " My beloved master, I
have saved you from three deaths — do you now save
me from one. Ask your father that you may go out on
my back for the last time to fare in the open fields with
your companions."

So the son asked his father for leave to go into the
open field for the last time on the horse, and the father
agreed. Ivan the merchant's son mounted his horse,
leapt into the open field, and went and diverted himself

238 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

with Ms friends and companions. Then he sent his
father a letter in this wise : " Do you cure my step-
mother with a twelve-tongued whip — ^this is the best
means of curing her illness." He sent this letter with
one of his good companions, and himself went into
foreign lands.

The merchant read the letter, and began curing
his wife with a twelve-tongued whip : and she very soon
recovered.

The merchant's son went out into the open field, into
the wide plains, and he saw horned cattle grazing in
front of him.

So the good horse said, " Ivan the merchant's son, let
me go free at will, and do you pull three little hairs out
of my tail : whenever I can be of service to you burn a
single hair, and I shall appear at once in front of you, like
a leaf in front of the grass. But you, good youth, go to
the herd, buy a bull and cut its throat ; dress yourself in
the bull's hide, put a bladder on your head, and wherever
you go, whatever you are asked about, answer only this
one word, ' Idonotknow.' "

Ivan the merchant's son let his horse go free, dressed
himself in the bull's hide, put a bladder on his head,
and went beyond the seas. On the blue sea there was
a ship a-sailing. The ship's crew saw this marvel — an
animal which was not an animal, a man that was not a
man, with a bladder on his head and with fur aU round
him- So they sailed up to the shore in a light boat and
began to ask him and to inquire of him. Ivan the mer-
chant's son only returned one answer, " Idonotknow."

" If it be so, then your name must be ' Donotknow.' "
Then the ship's crew took him, carried him on board
the boat, and they sailed to their King.

May-be long, may-be short, they at last reached a
capital city, went to the King with gifts, and informed
him of Donotknow. So the King bade the portent be

DONOTKNOW 239

presented before his eyes. So they brought Donotknow
into the palace, and the people came up from aU parts,
seen and unseeuj to gaze on him.

Then the King began to ask him, " What sort of a
man are you ? "

" Idonotknow."

" From what lands have you come ? "

" Idonotknow-"

" From what race and from what place ? "

" Idonotknow."

Then the King put Donotknow into the garden as a
scarecrow, to frighten the birds from the apple trees,
and he bade him be fed from his royal kitchen.

Now this king had three daughters : the elder ones
were beautiful, but the younger fairer still. Very soon
the son of the King of the Arabs began asking for the
hand of the youngest daughter, and he wrote to the
King with threats such as this, " If you do not give her
to me of your good will, I will take her by force."

This did not suit the King at all, so he answered the
Arab prince in this wise, " Do you begin the war, and
it shall go as God shall will."

So the Prince assembled a countless multitude and laid
siege.

Donotknow shook off his oxhide, took off his bladder,
went into the open fields, burnt one of the hairs, and
cried out in a grim voice with a knightly whistle. From
some source or other a wondrous horse appeared in
front of him, and the steed galloped up, and the earth
trembled. " Hail, doughty youth^ why do you want
me so ispeedily ? "

" Go and prepare for war ! "

So Donotknow sat on his good horse, and the horse
adied him, " Where shall I carry you — aloft, under the
trees, or over the standing woods ? "

" Carry me over the standing woods."

240 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the horse raised himself from the earth and flew
over the hostile host. Then DonotknoVv leapt upon the
enemies, seized a warlike sword from one of them, tore
a golden helmet from another of them, and put them on
himself ; covered his face with the visor, and set to
slaying the Arab host. Wherever he turned, heads flew :
it was like mowing hay. The King and the Princess
looked on in amazement from the city wall : " What
a mighty hero it must be ! Whence has he come ? Is
it Egori the Brave who has come to help us ? "

But they never imagined that it was Donotknow
whom the King had set in the garden as a scarecrow.
Donotknow slew many of that host, and even more than
he slew his horse trampled down, and he left only the
Arab Prince aUve and ten men as a suite to see him home.
After this great combat he rode back to the town wall
and said, " Your kingly Majesty, has my service pleased
you ? " Then the King thanked him and asked him in
as a guest. But Donotknow would not come. He leapt
into the open field, sent away his good horse, turned
back home, put on the bladder and the bull's hide, and
began to walk about in the garden, as before, just like a
scarecrow.

Some time went by, not too much, not too little, and
the Arab Prince again wrote to the King, " If you do
not give me your youngest daughter's hand I will burn
up all your kingdom and will take her prisoner."

This also did not please the King, and so he wrote in
answer that he would await him with his host. Once
again the Arab Prince collected a countless host, larger
than before, and he besieged the King from all sides,
having three mighty knights standing in front.

Donotknow learned of this, shook off the bull's hide,
took off the bladder, summoned his good horse, and leapt
to the field. One knight came to meet him. They met
in combat, greeted each other and set at each other with

DONOTKNOW 241

their lances. The knight struck Donotknow so doughtily
that he could hardly hold on by one stirrup. Then he
got up, flew like a youth, struck off the knight's head,
seized him, and threw him over, saying, " This is how
all of your heads shall fly." Then another knight came
out, and it happened likewise with him ; and a third
came, and Donotknow fought with him for one whole
hour. The knight cut his hand and drew blood, but
Donotknow cut off his head and threw it with the rest.
Then all of the Arab host trembled and turned back. Just
then the King, with the Princesses, was standing on the
town wall ; and the youngest Princess saw that blood was
flowing from the valiant champion's hand, took a ker-
chief off her neck and bound up the wound herself ;
and the King summoned him as a guest. " I will come
one day," said Donotknow, " but not this time." So
he leapt into the open field, dismissed his horse, dressed
himself in his oxhide, put the bladder on his head, and
began walking up and down the garden like a scarecrov/'.

Some time went by, not much, not little, and the
King gave his two elder daughters away to famous
Tsarevichi. He was making ready for a great celebra-
tion, and the guests came to walk in the garden ; and
they saw Donotknow and asked, " What sort of a monster
is this ? "

So the King said, " This is Donotknow : I am using
him as a scarecrow : he keeps the birds off my apple
trees."

But the youngest daughter looked at Donotknow's
hand and observed her kerchief on it, blushed and never
said a word. From that time she began to walk into the
garden and to gaze on Donotknow, and became thought-
ful, never giving heed to the festivals and to the merri-
ment.

" Where are you always going, my daughter ? " asked
her father.

242 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Oh, father, I have lived so many years with you, I
have so often walked in the garden, and I have never seen
such a delightful bird as I saw there just now ! "

Then she began to ask her father to give her his
blessing and to wed her to Donotknow. And for all
the father might do to convince her, she insisted. " If
you will not give me to him, I wiU remain unmarried all
my life and wiU seek no other man." So the father
agreed and he betrothed them.

Soon afterwards the Arab Prince wrote to him for
the third time and asked for the hand of his youngest
daughter. " If you will not consent, I will consume all
of your kingdom with fire, and I wiU take her by main
force."

Then the King answered, " My daughter is already
promised : if you wish, come yourself and you will see.
So the Prince came, and when he saw what a monster
was betrothed to the fair Princess he thought he would
slay Donotknow, and he summoned him to mortal
combat.

Donotknow shook off his oxhide, took the bladder
from his head, summoned his good horse and rode out,
so fair a youth as no tale can tell and no pen can write.

They met in the open field, in the wide plains, and the
list lasted long. Ivan the merchant's son Hlled the Arab
Prince. Then at last the King recognised that Donot-
know was not a monster but a splendid and handsome
knight, and he made him his heir. Ivan the merchant's
son lived on in his kingdom for good and lived aU for
happiness, took his own father to stay with him, but con-
signed his stepmother to punishment.

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE

Once a Tsar lived with his Tsaritsa beyond thrice-nine
lands in the thrice-tenth kingdom. He liked to go
hunting and shooting the wild beasts. One day the
Tsar went out hunting, and saw a young eagle sitting
on an oak ; and he was just going to shoot him down,
when the eagle begged him, " Do not shoot me. Tsar
my master, rather take me to yourself ; and at some
time or other I shall be of service to you." And the
Tsar thought and thought, and he said, " How can you
be of any service to me ? " And again he wanted to
shoot him. And the eagle said to him a second time,
" Do not shoot. Tsar my master, rather take me to
yourself ; and some day I shall be of service to you."
And the Tsar thought and thought, and again he could
not imagine whatever service the eagle would be to
him, and he still wanted to shoot him. So for the third
time the eagle spoke to him, " Do not shoot me, Tsar
my master, rather take me to yourself, and feed me for
thjree years ; and at some time I shall be of service to you."

So the Tsar was molUfied, and took the eagle to himself,
and he fed him one year and another year, and the eagle
ate up so much, ate up all the cattle ; and the Tsar
had neither a sheep nor a cow left.

Then the eagle said to him, " Let me go free." And
the eagle tried his wings, but no, he could not fly ; and
he asked him, " Now, Tsar my master, you have fed
me for two years, even as you said ; now feed me one
year more. Only go on and feed me, and you will not
lose."

243 '

244 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the Tsar did this.

" Go and hire cattle and feed me ; you will not lose."

So the Tsar did this. From all countries round he
went and hired cattle, and every one helped him to
feed the eagle. And afterwards he let him go free at
his own will.

Then the eagle rose higher and higher, and he flew
and flew, and then he came down to earth and said,
" Now, Tsar my master, come and sit on me : we will
fly together."

So the Tsar sat on the eagle and they flew on and on.
Maybe much time went by, maybe little, but they at
last flew to the border of the blue sea. Then the eagle
shook the Tsar off himsel:^, and he fell into the sea, and
he was wetted up to his knees, only the eagle did not
let him drown, but supported him on his wing, and
asked, " Why, Tsar my lord, why are you frightened ? "

" I was frightened," said the Tsar, " lest I should be
drowned."

And so once more they flew on, until they came to
another sea. And the eagle shook the Tsar off into the
middle of the sea, and the Tsar was wetted up to his
waist, but the eagle supported him by his wing and
asked him, " Why, Tsar my master, why are you
frightened ? "

" I was frightened," said the Tsar, " and I was
thinking, it may be you are never going to drag me
out."

And again they flew on, and they arrived at the third
sea, and the eagle threw the Tsar into the great depths,
and he was immersed in the water up to his very neck.
Again, the third time the eagle held him by the wing
and asked him, " Why, Tsar my master, why are you
frightened ? "

" I was," said the Tsar, " I was thinking if only you
would rescue me ! "

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 245

" Now, Tsar my master, you have learned the fear
of death. All this shall be JEor you in the past, and shall
be an old tale. You may recollect how I was sitting on
the oak and you wished to kill me. Three times you
took up your gun to shoot me, but I asked you to spare
me ; and I was thinking in my mind, may you not destroy
me but have pity and take me to yourself ! "

So he then flew across thrice-nine lands, for a very
long flight. And the eagle said, " Come and see. Tsar
my master, what is over us and what is under us."

And the Tsar looked : " Over us," he said, " is the
sky, and under us the earth."

" Look once more : what is there on -the left and
right-hand sides ? "

" On the right-hand side there is an open field and
on the left-hand side there is a house."

" We will fly there," said the eagle ; " there my
youngest sister lives."

So they flew straight to the courtyard, and the sister
came to meet them and received her brother, seated
him on an oaken table ; but she would not look on the
Tsar — she left him outside in the courtyard and she
let the fleet dogs out to feed on him.

But the eagle was very angry,. and he leaped up from
the table, laid hold on the Tsar and flew, yet farther.
So they flew and flew, and the eagle said to the Tsar,
" Look, what is there behind us ? "

So the Tsar turned round and looked, and said,
" Behind us there is a beauteous house."

Then the eagle said to him, " It is the house of my
youngest sister that glitters : she would not receive you,
but gave you for food to the fleet hounds."

So they flew and flew on, and the eagle asked him
again, " Look, Tsar my master, what is there over us,
and what under us ? "

" Over us the sky and under us the earth."

246 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Look, what is there on the right-hand, and what is
there on the left ? "

" On the right-hand side there is the open field, and
on the left-hand side there stands a house."

" There my younger sister lives ; we will fly there
and be her guests."

So they came down to the open courtyard, and the
younger sister came and received her brother, and she
seated him on an oaken stool, but she left the Tsar in
the courtyard, and she released the fleet hounds on him.

And the eagle was angry, leaped up from the table,
laid hold on the Tsar and flew with him yet farther ;
and they flew on and on, and the eagle said to the Tsar,
" Look, what is there behind us ? "

" Behind us there is a beauteous house,"

" It is the house of my younger sister that glitters,"
said the eagle. " Now we will fly where my mother and
eldest sister live."

So they flew thither, and the mother and eldest
sister were ever so glad to see them, and they received
the Tsar with honour and affection.

" Now, Tsar my master," said the eagle, " come and
rest with us, and afterwards I will give you a ship, and
I will repay you all I ate up whilst I was with you ; and
go home with God's aid." So he gave the Tsar a ship
and two coffers, one was red and the other green. And
he said, " Take heed, do not open the coffers until you
reach home : open the red coffer in the back courtyard
and the green coffer in the front courtyard."

So the Tsar took the two coffers, bade farewell to the
eagle, and went on the blue sea : and he went on and
he arrived at an island, where the ship stopped. He got
out on the shore, and he remembered the two coffers,
and began to wonder what was in them, and why the
eagle had bidden him not to open them ; and he thought
and thought, and his patience gave way. He so badly

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 247

wanted to know, and so he took tEe red coffer, put it on
the ground and opened it, and out of it all sorts of cattle
came out, so many that the eye could not count, and
they almost filled the entire island. When the Tsar
saw this he was grieved, and began to weep and say,
" Whatever shall I do now ? how shall I collect all o£
this herd into such a tiny coffer ? "

And then he saw that out of the water came a man,
who went up to him and asked him, " Why are you
weeping so bitterly, Tsar my master ? "

" Why should I not weep ? " answered the Tsar.
" How can I put all this great herd into this tiny coffer ? "

" If you will I can aid you in your trouble ; I will
collect all this herd, only on condition that you give me
what you do not know of at home."

So the Tsar began to ponder, " What do I not know
of at home ? It seems to me that I know of everything."
So he thought, and he considered it, and he said, " Go
and collect them together, and I will give you what I
do not know of at home."

Then the man collected all of the cattle into the
box, and the Tsar went on board and sailed on his own
journey.

When he reached home he saw that a son had been
born to him, the Tsarevich, and he began to kiss him
and to fondle him. But then he began to weep bitter
tears.

" Tsar my master," said the Tsaritsa, " why do you
weep such bitter tears ? "

" Out of joy," he said ; for he feared to tell her the
truth that he must give up the Tsarevich.

So then he went into the courtyard and opened the
red coffer, and out of it oxen and kine, sheep and rams,
came out. There was a multitude of all sorts of cattle.
All the barns and the folds were full. He then came
to the forecourt and he opened the green coffer, and

248 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

in front of him a wonderful garden spread out with
every kind of tree in it, and the Tsar was so joyous,
and forgot to give his son up.

Many years went by : one day the Tsar wanted to
take a walk, and he went to the river ; and just then
that same man peered up out of the water and said :
" You are a very forgetful person. Tsar my master :
you should recollect your debts."

Then the Tsar went home with grief in his groaning
heart, and he told the Tsaritsa and the Tsarevich all
the real truth, and they were aiHicted ; and they all
wept together and resolved that something must be
done, and that they must give up the Tsarevich. So
they took him to the seashore and left him by himself.

And the Tsarevich looked round, and he saw a path,
went on it, trusting God might lead him aright. So he
went on and on, and he lost his way in the slumberous
forest, and he saw a little izba ^ in the forest, and in the
izbd^ there lived the Baba Yaga. " I wiU go in," thought
the Tsarevich, and he went into the izbd.^

" Good-day, Tsarevich," said Baba Yaga :

" Is it work on your way.
Or for sloth do you stray ? "

" Hey, babushka, give me food and drink, and ask me
afterwards."

So she then gave him food and drink, and the Tsarevich
told her all his sorrow without any concealment — whither
he was going and why.

Then Baba Yaga said to him, " Go, my child, to the
sea ; there you will find twelve spoonbills flying in the
air, they will turn into fair maidens, who will bathe.
You go and hide yourself, and seize the shirt of the
eldest maiden. When you have made friends with her,
go to the Sea Tsar."

1 Hut.

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 249

The Tsarevich bade farewell to Baba Yaga, went to
the spot she named on the seashore, and he hid himself
behind the bushes. Then twelve spoonbills flew along,
struck the grey earth, and turned into fair maidens,
who began bathing. The Tsarevich stole the maiden's
shirt, sat behind the bush, and never stirred. The
maidens came out of the sea and went on shore : eleven
of them struck the earth, turned into birds and flew
home : one was left alone, the eldest — Vasilisa the Wise.
And when she saw that her sisters flew away she said,
"Do not seek me, my dear sisters, but fly home. I am
myself to blame ; it is all my own fault ; I did not
look, and I must pay the cost." So the sisters, the fair
maidens, struck the grey earth and turned into spoon-
bills, spread their wings, and flew far away. Vasilisa
the Wise was left by herself, and she looked round and
said : " Whoever he be who now has my shirt, let him
come here : if he be an old man, he shall be as my own
father ; if he be a middle-aged man, he shall be as my
beloved brother ; if he be of my age, he shall be my
lover."

As soon as he heard this, Ivan Tsarevich came out of
his lurking-place. So she gave him a golden ring and
said, " Ivan Tsarevich, how long you have been in
coming ! The Sea Tsar is wroth with you. That is
the road which leads to the kingdom under the sea ;
come on it boldly. There you will find me as well, for
I am Vasilisa the Wise, the daughter of the Sea Tsar."
Then . Vasilisa the Wise, the eldest, struck the earth,
turned into a spoonbill, and flew away from the Tsarevich.

Then Ivan went into the under-seas, and he saw light
there as it is above, fields and meadows and green arbours ;
and the sun was hot. Then he came to the Sea Tsar, and
the Sea Tsar shrieked out at him : " Why have you been
so long ? You have been guilty, and you must do me
this service : I, have a piece of waste ground thirty

250 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

versts long and broad, and there is nothing on it except
ditches, ravines and sharp stones. By to-morrow morning
all this must be as smooth as the palm of my hand ;
rye must be sown and grow so high that a jackdaw
might be hidden in it. But if you fail, your head shall
roll off your shoulders."

Ivan Tsarevich left the Sea Tsar and wept a sea of
tears. Out of the window of her room, from a lofty
turret, Vasilisa the Wise saw him and asked, " Hail,
Ivan Tsarevich ! why are you weeping ? "

" How should I not weep ? " answered Ivan. " The
Sea Tsar has bidden me in a single night level the ravines
and clear the stones from a piece of land thirty versts
long and broad, and grow rye on it so high that a jack-
daw might hide in it."

" That is easy enough : this is no trouble — trouble is
still ahead. Come and lie down in peace ; the morning
is wiser than the evening. All shall be ready."

So Ivan Tsarevich went and lay down, and Vasilisa
the Wise went to a little window and cried in a thun-
derous voice, " Hail, my faithful servants, go and level
the 4eep ravines, take away the sharp stones, sow the
ground with full-eared rye, so that in the morning it
shall grow so high that a jackdaw might hide in it."

In the morning Ivan Tsarevich awoke, and when he
looked out it was all done : there were no ravines and
no crevasses, and the field was as flat as the palm of his
hand, and the rye on it was red and so lofty that a jack-
daw might hide in it. And he went to report his prowess
to the Sea Tsar.

" Thank you," said the Sea Tsar. " You have been
able to fulfil me this service. Here is your second work.
I have thirty hayricks, and each hayrick contains as
much as thirty piles of white-eared barley. Thresh me
all the barley clean, quite clean to the last grain, and
do not destroy the hayricks nor beat down the sheaves.

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 251

If you do not do this, your shoulders and your head will
part company."

" I will obey your Majesty," said Ivan Tsarevich, and
again he went to the courtyard and was lost in tears.

" Why are you weeping, Ivan Tsarevich, so bitterly ? "
Vasilisa the Wise asked him.

" Why should I not weep ? The Sea Tsar has bidden
me thresh clean thirty hayricks of barley without destroy-
ing a hayrick or a single sheaf, and all in a single night."

" That is an easy task. Harder tasks are to come.
Sleep in peace, for the morning is wiser than the evening."

So Ivan Tsarevich went and lay down.

Vasilisa went to her window and cried out in a
threatening voice, " Hail, ye creeping ants, as many as
there be of you in the white world, all creep here and
pick out all the corn of my father's hayricks quite
cleanly."

In the morning the Sea Tsar asked Ivan Tsarevich if
he had done this service.

" I have, your Majesty."

" Let us go and see."

So they went to the barn floor, and there aU the
hayricks stood untouched ; and they went to the granary,
and all the lofts were filled to the top with corn.

" Thank you, brother," said the Sea Tsar. " Now
you must make me a church out of white wax, to be
ready to-night, and this shall be your last task."

Once again Ivan Tsarevich went to the courtyard
and began to weep.

" Why are you weeping, Ivan Tsarevich ? "

" Why should I not weep ? The Sea Tsar has bidden
me in a single night build a church of white wax."

" That is an easy task : harder tasks are near at hand.
Lie down in peace, for the morning is wiser than the
evening."

So Ivan Tsarevich went to sleep.

252 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Then she went to her window and called to her all
the bees in the white world, " Hail, ye bees my servants,
do ye build me a church of your white wax, and let it
be finished before the morning."

In the morning Ivan got up, looked, and saw the
church stood there made of clean wax, and he went to
the Sea Tsar and reported.

" Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich : of all the servants I
have had, none of them have been able to do as well as
you. Now be my heir and the preserver of my kingdom.
Now select yourself a bride out of my twelve daughters.
They are all alike, face for face, hair with hair, clothing
with clothing. If you guess three times the same one,
she shall be your bride ; if you do not, you shall suffer."

Vasilisa the Wise learned of this, chose her opportunity,
and said to the Tsarevich, " The first time I will wave
my dress, the second time I wiU smooth my dress, and
the third time there shall be a fly buzzing round my
head." Thus he was able to guess Vasilisa all three
times. And they were betrothed, and there was a
merry feast for three days.

Time went by, may-be little, may-be much. Ivan
Tsarevich grew anxious to see his father and mother,
and he wished to go back to Holy Russia.

" Why are you so grieved, Ivan Tsarevich ? "

" O Vasilisa the Wise, I am afflicted for my father
and my mother, and desire to behold Holy Russia."

" If we go away there will be a mighty chase after us.
The Sea Tsar will be wroth, and will give us over to
death. We must be cunning." So Vasilisa spat in three
corners, and the doors of her room opened, and she,
with Ivan Tsarevich, ran into Sacred Russia. On the
second day, very early, an embassy came from the Sea
Tsar to catch the young couple, and to summon them
into the palace, and they knocked on the door : " Wake
up, get up from your sleep ; your father is calling you."

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 253

" It is jet early : we have not yet had our sleep ;
come later on," one pool answered.

Then the ambassadors retired, and they waited one
hour and another hour, and they knocked again : " This
is not the time and season to sleep ; this is the time and
season to get up."

" Have a little patience, we will get up ; we are
dressing," the second pool answered.

And the third time the envoys came, saying that the
Sea Tsar was angry : " Why are you so long making
ready ? "

" We will be down soon," answered the third pool.

So the messengers waited and waited, and then again
knocked. Then there was no answer and no reply, so
they broke in the door, and all was empty. Then they
went and sent word to the Sea Tsar that the young folk
had run away. He was vety angry, and he set a mighty
hunt after them.

i But Vasilisa the Wise, with Ivan Tsarevich, was
already very far ahead : they were leaping on swift
horses without staying, without taking breath. " Now,
Ivan Tsarevich, bend your head down to the grey earth
and listen. Is there no noise of a hunt from the Sea
Tsar ? "

Ivan Tsarevich leapt down from his horse, put his
ear to the ground, and said, " I hear the talk of people,
and the tramp of horses."

" This is the hunt after us," said Vasilisa the Wise.
And she at once turned the horses into a green meadow,
Ivan Tsarevich into an old shepherd, and herself into
a brooding lamb.

The hunt passed by.
, " Ho, old man, have you seen a doughty youth with a
fair maiden galloping by ? "

" No, good folk, I have not seen them," said Ivan
Tsarevich. " It is forty years I have been pasturing

254 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

on these fields ; not one bird has ever flown by, not one
wild beast has ever rambled by."

So they returned home.

" Your Imperial Majesty, we saw no one on the road ;
we only saw a shepherd feeding a little sheep."

" Why did you not take it ? That was themselves ! "
said the Sea Tsar. And he sent out a second hunt.

But Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise were leaping
far off on their swift steeds. " Now, Ivan Tsarevich,
put your head to the grey earth and listen whether
there is no hunt from the Sea Tsar."

Ivan Tsarevich leapt off his horse, put his ear to the
grey earth and said, " I hear the talk of people and the
hoppety-hop of horses."

" This is the chase, that is the steeds," said Vasilisa
the Wise ; and she turned herself into a church, and
Ivan Tsarevich into an elderly pope and the horses
into trees.

So the hunt went by.

" Ho, bdtyushka, have you seen a shepherd with a
little lamb passing by ? "

" No, good people, I have not. I have been working
for forty years in this church ; not one bird has flown
by, not one beast has rambled by."

So the hunt went back and reached home.

" Your Imperial Majesty, we could not find the
shepherd with the little lamb : the only thing we saw
on the road was a church and an old man as pope."

" Why did you not break down the church and
capture the pope ? That was themselves ! " the Sea
Tsar exclaimed, and he himself leapt out to hunt after
Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.

So they went far, and again Vasilisa the Wise said,
" Ivan Tsarevich, put your ear to the ground ; can you
hear any hunt ? "

Then the Tsarevich leapt down, put his ear to the

THE SEA TSAR AND VASILlSA THE WISE 255

grey earth, and said, " I hear the talk of people and the
thunder o£ horses' hooves faster than before."
" This is the Sea Tsar himself who is galloping."
So Vasilisa the Wise turned the horses into a mere,
Ivan Tsarevich into a drake, and herself into a duck.
The Sea Tsar came up to the lake and he instantly-
guessed who were the duck and the drake, so he struck
the grey earth and turned into an eagle. The eagle
wanted to smite them to death, and it might well have
been ; but, as soon as ever he struck at the drake, it
dived into the water, and whenever he struck at the
duck the duck dived into the water, and whatever he
might do was all in vain.

So the Sea Tsar galloped back to his own kingdom
under the seas, and Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich
waited a while and then returned to Sacred Russia. It
may-be long, it may-be short, at last they came into
the thrice-ninth realm. When they arrived home his
father and mother were overjoyed to see Ivan Tsarevich,
for they had given him up as lost. And they made a
great feast and celebrated the marriage.

I was there, I drank mead and wine : it flowed up to my
beard, but it never entered my mouth.

THE ANIMALS' WINTER QUARTERS

Once an Ox was wandering in the wood, and a Ram met
him. " Where are you going, Ram ? " asked the Ox.

" I am seeking summer in winter," answered the
Ram.

" Come with me."

So they went together. And they met a Pig.

" Where are you going, Pig ? " asked the Ox.

" I am seeking summer in winter."

" Come with us."

So they all went together. And they then met a
Goose.

" Where are you going, Goose ? " said the Bull.

" I am seeking summer in winter," said the Goose.

" Well, come with us."

So the Goose came with them. So they went on, and
they met a Cock.

" Where are you going. Cock ? " asked the Bull.

" I am seeking summer in winter."

" Then come with us," said the BuU again.

So they went on their road and way, and began speak-
ing amongst each other. " What shall we do, brothers
and comrades ? the cold time is approaching : how
shall we have warmth ? "

So the Ox said, " We will build an izbd,^ and we shall
not freeze during the winter."

Then the Ram said : " My shuba is very warm ; I will
pass the winter in this fashion."

Then the Pig said, " I do not mind any frost whatso-

» Hut.
256

THE ANIMALS' WINTER QUARTERS 257

ever: I will burrow into the ground and do without
any izbd."^

Then the Goose said, " I will sit in the middle of this
spruce, lie on one wing, and cover myself over with the
other, and the cold cannot touch me. That is how I
shall pass the winter."

Then the Cock said, " I shall do the same."

Then the Ox saw he could not do any good : every
man must do as he likes. " Well," he said, " as you wish.
/ am going to build an izbd."^

So he built himself an izbd,^ and he lived in it.

Then the cold time came, and earth began to feel the
frosts. And the Ram, who could not help himself, came
to the Bull and said, " Brother, let me in."

" No, Ram, you have a warm shuba ; that is how you
are going to pass the winter ! I shall not let you in."

" But if you do not let me in, I shall run up and will
dislodge the joists of the izbd,^ and you will feel much
colder."

So the Bull thought, and on second thoughts said,
" Very weU, I will let you in. Otherwise I might
freeze." And he let the Ram in.

Soon the Pig felt frozen, and came to the Bull and said,
" Brother, let me in."

" No, Pig, I will not let you in. You need only burrow
down in the ground : that is how you are going to pass
the winter ! "

" But if you will not let me in, with my snout I will
drill aU of your uprights and will knock your izbd^
down."

Well, there was no help for it, and the Bull had to
let Piggy in.

Then the Goose and the Cock came to the Bull and
said, " Brother, we want to come in and warm ourselves."

" No, I will not let you in : both of you have two

' Hut.
5

25 8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

wings. One of them you put under you, and the other
you put over you : that is how you pass the winter."

" But if you do not let us in," said the Goose, " I will
pluck away aU the moss from the walls, and you will be
much colder ! "

" What ! won't you let me in ? " said the Cock. " I
will fly on to the garret and I will scatter all the earth
from the roof, and you wiU be much colder."

Well, the BuU was beaten, and he was forced to admit
the Goose and the Cock. In the warm hut the Cock
crowed and began singing merry songs.

Now the Fox heard the Cock singing merry songs,
and thought he would like to make such a dainty acquaint-
ance, only he did not know how to.

So the Fox bethought himself of his wiles, and ran up
to the Bear and the Wolf and said, " Now, my dear
kinsmen, I have found food for aU of us : a Bull for you,
Mr. Bear, a Ram for you, Mr. Wolf, and a Cock for
myself."

" What a capital fellow you are, Mr. Fox ! " said the
Bear and the Wolf. " We shall never be oblivious of
your services : let us kill and eat them."

So the Fox led them up to the little izbd.^ When
they reached the hut, the Bear said to the Wolf : " You
go first."

But the Wolf said, " That would be altogether wrong
— ^you must go first."

So then the Bear and the Wolf said to the Fox, " You
must go first."

As the Fox went in, the Bull gored him with his horns
to the wall, and the Ram sat on his flanks, and the Pig
tore him to atoms, whilst the Goose flew on to him and
picked out his eyes. But the Cock went and flew up to
the girder and crowed, " Do come in, oh do, do, do ! "

" Why is the Fox such a long time at work with the

' Hut.

THE ANIMALS' WINTER QUARTERS 259

Cock ? " said the Wolf : " Unlock the door, Mikhaylo
Ivanovich,^ and I will come in."

" Very well, come in ! " So the Bull opened the door
and the Wolf leapt into the izbd.^

As the Wolf went in the BuU gored him to the wall
with his horns, the Ram sat on his sides and the Pig
tore him to atoms, while the Goose flew on to him and
picked out his eyes. The Cock flew up to the girders
and began shouting, "Come along here, come along
here ! "

But the Bear got tired of waiting so long : " What a
long job he is making of that Ram ! " he thought. " I
must go in." So he also went into the hut, and the Bull
gave him the same royal welcome.

He burst out by sheer force and galloped away at full
jspeed, and never once looked round.

^ A mock patronymic for the Bull.
2 Hut.

THE STORY OF THE BRAVE AND DOUGHTY

KNIGHT ILYA MUROMETS AND THE

NIGHTINGALE ROBBER

Once in the famous city of Murom^ in the village of
Karacharovo, a peasant lived who vi^as called Ivan
Timofeyevich ; he had one beloved son, Ilya Muromets.
And he sat down in a house as a stay-at-home for thirty
years, and after the thirty years had gone by he began
to walk on his feet mightily, and he gained great strength.
Then he made himself the trappings of war and a lance
of steel, and got himself a good steed, a knightly horse ;
he then went up to his mother and father and asked their
blessing. " Ye, my masters, my mother and father, let me
go into the famous city of Kiev, to pray to God and to
do homage to our prince at Kiev."

The mother and father gave him their blessing, and
made him swear a mighty oath, and they enjoined a
mighty service upon him. And they spake in this wise :
" Do you go straight to the city of Kiev, straight to the
city of Chernigov, and on your journeying do no one
any hurt, spUl no Christian blood vainly."

Ilya Muromets took the blessing of his father and
mother, prayed to God, bade farewell to his father and
mother, and set forth on his way and road. And he
journeyed far in the dark woods, and Hghted on a camp
of robbers. Those robbers saw Ilya Muromets, and were
envious in their robber-like hearts for his knightly horse,
and began to speak amongst themselves how they might
take that horse ; for steeds so fine were not seen in those
parts, and now some unknown man was passing by on
^ V. note to p. 125.
260

ILYA MUROMETS AND THE ROBBER 261

one. So they set on Ilya Muromets, ten at once and then
by twenties. And Ilya Muromets stopped his knightly
horse, took a tempered dart and set it on his strong bow.
He let the tempered dart fall on the earth, and it tore
into the earth fifty feet.

And seeing this, the robbers were afraid, and collected
in a circle, fell on their knees and prayed him, " Master,
our father, youth mighty of prowess, we are guilty in
thine eyes ; and, for this our guilt, as it pleaseth thee,
inflict on us a fine as much as is fit, whether it be coloured
clothes or droves of horses."

Ilya smiled at them and said : " I need no garments,
but, if ye wish to enjoy your life, henceforth take no
more hazards."

And he went on his road to the famous city of Kiev.
And Ilya Muromets set out on the road ; when he came
under the walls of the city of Sebezh he saw three
Tsarevichi from foreign parts, who had a host of thirty
thousand men ; they wished to capture the city of
Sebezh and to take the Tsar of Sebezh prisoner. So
Ilya Muromets set out after the three Tsarevichi, and
he pursued them down to the seashore and slew all the
rest of the army, but captured the Tsarevichi alive and
returned to the city of Sebezh, and the citizens saw him
and gave news of this to their Tsar.

When he arrived at the city of Chernigov, under the
walls of the city of Chernigov there was a Saracen host
too many to count besieging the city of Chernigov :
they were going to sack it and to set God's churches
aflame, and to take captive the Prince, the Duke of
Chernigov. And at that mighty host and fray, Ilya
Muromets was afraid, but he placed himself at the will
of the Saviour, and thought how he would sacrifice his
head for the Christian faith. Then Ilya Muromets began
to lay low the Saracen host with his lance of steel, and
he routed all of the pagan host and took the Tsarevich

26a RUSSIAN FOLJL-TALES

of the Saracens captive and led him into the city o£
Chernigov. As he entered, all the citizens of the city
of Chernigov met him and gave him honour, and the
Prince and Duke of. Chernigov himself came out to
receive the doughty youth with honour and to give
thanks to the Lord God for sending such unexpected
succour to the city and not letting them aU perish help-
lessly before the mighty Saracen host. They received
him into their palace and they gave him a great feast,
and set him on his way.

Ilya Muromets went to the city of Kiev straight f rom-
Chernigov on the road by the village of Kutiizovo, which
the Nightingale Robber had been oppressing for thirty
years, not letting any man pass, whether on horseback
or on foot,, and assailing them not with any weapon,
but only with his robber's whistle. Ilya Muromets rode
into the open field and saw the scattered bones of knights-
and warriors. He rode over them and arrived at the
Bryanski woods,^ the miry swamp, to the hazel-tree
bridges, and to the Smorodina river. The Nightingale
Robber heard his end approaching, and felt a foreboding
of a terrible ill ; and before Ilya Muromets had advanced
twenty versts, he whistled with his powerful robber's
whistle. But the valorous heart of Ilya was not afraid,
and before ever he had advanced ten versts more the
Nightingale Robber whistled more terribly than before,
and the horse of Ilya Muromets stumbled at the
sound.

At last Ilya arrived at the nest, which was spread above
twelve oaks, and the Nightingale Robber was sitting in
the- nest, saw the white Russian knight approaching, and
began to whistle with all of his might, essaying to smite
Ilya Muromets to death. Ilya Muromets took out his
strong bow, put a tempered dart to it, and shot it at the

^ A great forest in Central Russia, once impenetrable and always
legendary.

ILYA MtiROMETS AND THE ROBBER 263

nest of the Nightingale Robber ;. it fell into his right eye
and went beyond. Ajid the Robber-Nightingale fell' down-
from his nest like a sheaf of oats. Ilya Miiromets took
the Robber-Nightingale, tied him strongly to his steel
stirrup and rode to the famous city of Kiev.

On his way he passed the palace of the Nightingale
Robber, and as soon as he came up to the Robber's
palace the windows were opened and out of these win-
dows the Nightingale Robber's three daughters were
looking. The youngest daughter saw him, and cried
out to her sisters : " Here is our father coming back
with booty : he is bringing us a man tied to his steel
stirrup."

But the elder sister looked out and cried bitterly:
" That is not our father ; some unknown man is coming
along and is dragging our father after him."

Then they cried out to their husbands, " Masters, do
ye go and meet that man and slay him for the slaying of
our father, lest our name be disgraced."

Then their husbands, mighty warriors, set out to face
the white Russian knight. They had good horses, sharp
lances, and they wished to hoist Ilya aloft on their
lances.

The Nightingale Robber saw them, and said, " My
beloved sons, do not dishonour nor take such a bold
knight, and so all receive your death from him ; it would
be better to ask his forgiveness in humbleness and
to ask him into my house to have a goblet of green
wine."

So at the invitation of the sons-in-law Ilya returned
home and received no evil of them.

The eldest daughter raised an iron storm-board of
chains for him to stumble against ;. but Ilya saw her on
the gates, struck at her with his lance, and he smote her
to death.

When Ilya arrived at the city of Eiev, he went straight

264 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

to the Prince's courtyard, entered the white stone palace,
prayed to God and did homage to the Prince.

The Prince o£ Kiev asked him, " Say, doughty youth,
how do they call thee ? Of what city art thou ? "

And Ilya Muromets returned answer : " My lord,
they call me Ilyushka, and by my father's name Ivanov ;
I live in the city of Murom in the village of Kara-
charovo."

Then the Prince asked him, " By what road didst
thou come ? "

" From Miirom by the city of Chernigov, and under
the walls of Chernigov I routed a Saracen host too many
to count, and I relieved the city of Chernigov. And
from there I went straight and I took the mighty
Nightingale Robber alive and dragged him along at my
steel stirrup."

Then the Prince was angry and said, " Why art thou
telling such tales ? "

When the knights Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya
Nikitich heard this, they dashed out to look, and assured
the Prince that this was reaUy so.

Then the Prince bade a goblet of green wine be given
to the doughty youth. The Prince, however, wished
to hear the whistle of the Robber-Nightingale. Ilya
Muromets put the Prince and Princess into a sable
shuba, seized them under the arm, called in the Nightin-
gale Robber and bade him whistle Hke a nightingale with
only half his whistle ; but the Nightingale Robber
whistled with all his robber's whistle, and he deafened
all of the knights, so that they fell to the ground, and as
a punishment for this was slain by Ilya Muromets.

Ilya Muromets swore blood brotherhood with
Dobr;^nya Nikitich, then they saddled their good horses
and rode forth on the open fields ; and they journeyed
on for about three months and found no opponent worthy
of their steel : they had only gone in the open field.

ILYA MOROMETS AND THE ROBBER 265

Then they met a passer-by, a beggar singing psalms.
His shirt weighed fifteen pud, and his hat ten pud, and
his stick was ten sazhens long. Ilya Miiromets set on
him with his horse, and was going to try his mighty
strength on him.

Then the passing beggar saw Ilya Muromets and said :
" Hail, Ilya Muromets ! Do you recollect ? I learned
my letters with you in the same school, and now you are
setting your horse on me, who am only a beggar, as
though I were an enemy, and you do not know that a
very great misfortune has befallen the city of Kiev.
The infidel knight, the mighty man, the dishonourable
Idolishche, has arrived. His head is as big as a beer
cauldron, and his shoulders a sazhen broad. There is a
span length between his brows, and between his ears
there is a tempered dart. And he eats an ox at a time
and he drinks a cask at a time. The Prince of Kiev is
very aggrieved with you that you have left him in such
straits."

So Ilya Muromets changed into the beggar's dress
and rode straight back to the palace of the Prince, and
cried out in a knightly voice : " Hail to thee. Prince of
Kiev ! give me, a wandering beggar, alms."

And the Prince saw him and spoke in this wise : " Come
into my palace, beggar. I will give you food and drink
and will give you gold on your way."

So the beggar went into the palace and stood at the
stove and looked round.

IdoHshche asked to eat, so they brought him an entire
roasted ox and he ate it to the bones ; then Idolishche
asked for drink, so they brought him a cauldron of beer ;
and twenty men had to bring it in. And he held it up
to his ears and drank it all through.

Ilya Muromets said, " My father had a gluttonous
mare ; it guzzled until its breath failed."

Idolishche could not stand this affront, and said, " Hail,

aS6 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

wandering beggar ! Do you dare me ? I could take you
in my hands ; if it had been Ilya Muromets I would
even have braved him."

" Well," said Ilya Muromets, " that is the kind of man
he was ! " And he took off his cap and struck him lightly
on the head, and he nearly knocked through the walls
of the palace, took Idolishche's trunk and flung it out.
And in return the Prince honoured Ilya Muromets,
praised him highly, and placed him amongst the mighty
knights of his court.

NIKITA THE TANNER

One day, somewhere near Kiev, a dragon appeared,
who demanded heavy tribute from the people. He
demanded every time to eat a fair maiden : and at last
the turn came to the Tsarevna, the princess. But the
dragon would not eat her, she was too beautifuL He
dragged her into his den and made her hia wife. , When
he flew out on business, he used to pile logs of wood in
front of the den to prevent the Tsarevna escaping. But
the Tsarevna had a little dog that had folowed her all
the way from home. When she wrote a letter to her
father and mother she used to tie it to the neck of her
little dog, which would run all the way home and bring
an answer back. One day her parents wrote to her :
" Try to discover any one who is stronger than the;
dragon." The Tsarevna got every day on more intimate
terms with her dragon in order to discover who was
stronger. Atlast he owned that Nikita, the tanner at Kiev,
was the stronger. So the Tsarevna at once wrote to her
father : " Look for Nikita, the tanner at Kiev,, and send
him on to me to deliver me from my imprisonment."

So the Tsar looked for Nikita, and went, to him himself
to beg him to release the land from the cruelty of the
dragon and redeem the princess.

Just then Nikita was tanning skins. He was just
enfolding twelve hides in his hands. But when he saw
the Tsar come to see him, his hands so trembled for
fear that he rent the twelve hides. But, however much,
the Tsar and the Tsaritsa asked him, he would not set
out against the dragon. Then the Tsar assembled five

267

268 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

thousand children, who were to mollify the tanner
with their bitter tears. The little ones came to Nikita and
begged him to go and fight the dragon. And when he
saw them weep, Nikita the tanner himself almost felt
the tears flowing. He took thirty puds of hemp, tarred it,
and swathed himself in it in order that the dragon might
find him a hard morsel, and then set out. But the dragon
locked himself up in his den and would not come to view.

" Come with me into the open field, otherwise I will
shatter your den to pieces ! " said the tanner, and began
clattering at the doors.

Then the dragon, seeing his doom approach, came
out into the open. Nikita the tanner fought the grisly
worm some time, maybe long, maybe short, and at last
got him under.

Then the dragon besought Nikita the tanner : " Do
not beat me to death. Stronger than us two there is
nothing in the white world. Let us divide the earth.
You may live on the one half and I on the other."

" Very well ! " said Nikita, " only we must dehmit
frontiers."

So the tanner took the plough, which weighed three
hundred puds, and harnessed to it the dragon, and drew
the harrow all the way from Kiev to the Caspian Sea.

" Now we have divided the entire earth," said the dragon.

" Yes, we have divided the earth, but not the sea ;
we must also divide the sea, otherwise you would say I
was taking your share of the water." So they then set
out into the middle of the sea, and there Nikita slew
the dragon and drowned him.

The trench may still be seen : it is two fathoms deep.
They plough all round it ; but never touch the bottom :
those who do not know whence came this trench call
it a battlement. ■

When Nikita had done this feat, he dema'nded no
reward for it, but went home and went on tanning.

THE SINGING-TREE AND THE
SPEAKING-BIRD

Once upon a time there was a very inquisitive King who
spent all his time eavesdropping at the window. There
was also a merchant, who had three daughters, and one
day they were talking to their father, and one said :
" If only the King's bread-bearer would marry me ! "
The second one said : " If only the King's valet would
cast his eyes upon me ! " But the third said : " I want
the King himself : I would bear him two sons and one
daughter."

Now the King was listening to all this conversation ;
and after a few days he did exactly as they had wished :
the eldest married the King's bread-bearer, the middle
one the King's valet, but the youngest married the King
himself.

The King married very happily, and after some time
his Queen was about to bear him a child. He was sending
for the midwife of the town, but the elder sisters asked
him why he should ; they would act as midwives. As
soon as the Queen had born him a son, the midwives
took him away and told the King his wife had born
a pup ; and they put the new-born babe into a box and
threw it into a big pond in the King's garden.

At this the King was very angry, and wanted to have
his wife blown to bits at the cannon's mouth ; but — it
so happened — some other princes were on a visit, and
persuaded him to forgive a first offence. So the King par-
doned her for the nonce, and gave her a second chance.

One year went by, and the Queen bore him another

269

270 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

son, and the sisters again took it away, and told him she
had born a kitten. The King was angry at first, this
time he was sore enraged, and was agog to punish his
wife, but once more he was won over.

So he gave her a third chance. This time the Queen
bore a very beautiful daughter, and the sisters took it
and told the King she had born an -unheard-of monster.
Oh ! there were no bounds to his fury now ; he ordered
the hangman in and bade him hang his wife on the spot ;
but once more some visiting princes overruled liim ^nd
said : " Would it not be better to put an oratory up
near the church and put her into it, and let every one
who goes to Mass spit into her eyes ? " So he did ; but,
so far from being spat upon by every passer-by, every
one brought her fine loaves and pasties.

But, when her thr£e children had been thrown into
the pond in the King's garden, they were not drowned,
for the King's gardener took them home and brought
them lip. They were fine children ; you could see
thjem growing up, not by years, but month-s, not by
.days, but by hours. The King's sons shot up, youths no
men could imagine, guess, or draw, or paint ; and the
Tsarevna was such a beauty ! Almost terribly beautiful !
One day, when they were older, they asked the gardener
to let them build themselves a little home behind the
town. The gardener consented, and they erected a big,
splendid house, and led a merry life in it. The brothers
used to go hunting hares, and one .day they went off
and left their sister alone at home.

A visitor knocked at the door : the sister opened the
door and saw an old hag, who said : " You have a pretty
little place here ; three things are lacking."

" What are they ? I always thought we had every-
thing ! " .

The hag replied : " You still need the Talking-Bird,
the Singing-Tree, and the Water of Life."

SINGING-TREE AND SPEAKING-BIRD 271

And then the sister was left all alone once more ; When
her brothers came home, she said : " Brothers, we lack
aiothing sa-ve three things."

" What are they ? "

"We haven't a Talking-Bird, a Singing-Tree, and the
Water of Life ! "

The elder brother said : " Sister, give me your bless-
ing, and I'll go and discover you these marvels. If I die,
or am killed, you will know by this knife dripping blood.
There it is, stuck into the wall."

So he went, and wandered away, far, far away into
the forest. At last he came to a gigantic oak-tree ; and
on the tree there was an old man sitting, ^whom he asked
how he was to procure the " Talking-Bird, a Singing-
Tree, and the Water of Life."

The old man replied : " Possible it is, but m)t easy ;
many go, but few return."

But the young man persisted and left the old man.
The old man gave him a rolling-pin, and told him to let
it roll on in front of him, and follow wherever it went.
The pin roUed on, and after it walked the Prince : it
rolled up to a steep hill, and was lost. Then the Prince
went up the hill, went half-way up ; and, as he went
along, he heard a voice : " Hold him, seize him, grip
him ! " He looked round and was turned into stone.

That very same hour blood began to drip from the
knife in the cottage, and the sister told the younger
brother that the elder was dead.

So he answered : " Now I will go, sister mine, and
capture the Talking-Bird, the Singing-Tree, and the
Water of Life ! "

So she blessed him, and he went on and on for very
many weary miles, and met the old man on the tree,
who gave him another rollinig-pin : and the pin rolled mp
to the mountain ; and both were lost, pin and Prince !

The sister waited for many years, but he never came

272 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

back, and she thought he, too, must have died. So she
set out to find the Talking-Bird, Singing-Tree, and
Water of Life. She arrived at last at that same oak-tree,
saw the old man sitting on it, greeted him, and shaved
his head and brows, as she brought scissors and a mirror
with her.

" Look," she said, " what a change it makes in you ! "

He looked into the mirror : " Yes," he said ; " I am
quite a fine man now. I've sat here thirty years : never
a soul cut my hair, you guessed my need."

Then she asked him : " Grandfather, how can I get the
Talking-Bird, the Singing-Tree, and the Water of Life ? "

He answered : " How can you get them ? Cleverer
folk than you have been after them, and they have all
been lost."

But she persisted : " Please tell me ! "

So he gave her another rolling-pin, and told her to
follow it : she would hear cries of " Catch her : scotch
her," but she must not look round, for fear of being
turned into stone. " At the top you will see a well and
the Talking-Bird. As you come back, you will see lofty
stones standing upright ; sprinkle them all with the
Water of Life."

So on she went : the pin rolled on, far or near, long or
short, it reached a steep mountain ; and the girl climbed
up and heard cries : " Where are you going ? We shall
kill you ! We shall eat you up ! "

But still she went on and on, reached the summit,
and there she found a well and the Talking-Bird. She
took it and asked it : " Tell me how to get the Singing-
Tree and the Water of Life."

The Bird replied : " Go straight by this path."

She did, and came upon the Singing-Tree, and in it
all sorts of birds were singing. She broke off a sprig,
pulled up a water-lily, and put some of the Water of Life
into the cup of the flower, and turned back homewards.

SINGING-TREE AND SPEAKING-BIRD 273

As she clomb downhill, she saw boulders standing
upright, and sprinkled them with the Water of Life ;
and heir brothers jumped up alive and said : " Oh, what
a long sleep we have had ! "

" Yes, my brothers, but for me you would have slept
on for ever. And look here ; I have got you the Talking- '
Bird, the Singing-Tree, and the Water of Life ! "

The brothers were overjoyed, went home and planted
the Singing-Tree in the garden ; it overspread the
whole garden; and all kinds of birds began singing.

One day they were out hunting and the King met
them by chance. He fell in love with the gay huntsmen,
and invited them home. They said they would ask their
sister, and come at once if she consented.

So they went back home. The sister met them and
greeted them, and the brothers said : " Please, sister,
may we go and dine with the King ? He has asked us in."

She said " Yes," and they went. At the banquet, the
King gave them the place of honour, and they begged he
would honour them with a visit. Some days later the
King went. They gave him a rich spread, and showed
him the Singing-Tree and the Talking-Bird.

He was amazed and said : " I am the King, and have
nothing as good ! "

Then the King looked at them and said : " Who is
your father ? "

They said : " We do not know." But the Talking-
Bird broke in and said : " They are your children."

Then the King looked at the maiden and wanted to
marry her. Again the Talking-Bird said : " You may
not ; she is your daughter."

The King then saw how matters stood ; was over-
joyed ; took them to live with him for ever. As to the
two evil sisters, he had them shot ; but his wife he
released from the chapel, and took her to himself again,
and they lived merrily on for many years of happiness.

AT THE BEHEST OF THE PIKE

Once there lived a poor peasant ; and, however much
he might toil and moil, he got nothing out of it. " Oh,"
he thought to himself, " mine is a sorry lot ; I spend all my
days on my fields ; and then, when I look, I am starving,
whilst my neighbour is lying aU day long on his back,
and then he has a big estate and all the profits swim
into his pockets. Evidently I have not pleased God.
I will get up in the morning and pray until evening,
and perhaps the Lord may have mercy on me."

So he began to pray to God, and went hungry for days
on days ; and he still went on praying.

At last Easter Day came, and the bells rang for Mass.
So the poor peasant thought, " All good folks are getting
ready to break the fast, and I have not a crust of bread.
Well, if I bring water, I can sip it like soup." So he took
a small can, went to the well, and as soon as he dipped
it into the water a big pike fell into it. Then the peasant
was very glad. " Here is something for supper ; I will
cook it and make fish soup of it, and shall have a fine
supper."

Then the pike said to him in a human voice : " Let
me go free, good man, go free. I will make you happy ;
whatever your soul may desire you shall possess. You
need only say :

At the pike's good pleasure,
By God's good measure —

let this or that appear ! and you will get it at once."

274

AT THE BEHEST OF THE PIKE 275

So the peasant put the pike back into the water, went
to his hut, sat down at the table and said :

" At the pike's good pleasure,
By God's good measure —

let the table be covered and my dinner ready."

Then from somewhere or other all sorts of dishes and
drinks appeared on the table, enough to please a Tsar,
and a Tsar would not have been ashamed of it. So the
poor man crossed himself, said " Glory be to Thee, O
Lord ! now I can break the fast." So he went to the
church, attended Matins and Mass, turned back and
again broke his fast, ate and drank as well, went outside
the door and sat at the counter.

Just about then the Princess had an idea that she
would go abroad in the streets, and she went with her
attendants and maids of honour, and for the sake of the
holy festival went to give alms to the poor ; she gave to
them all but forgot the poor peasant. Then he said to
himself :

"At the pike's good pleasure,
Of God's good treasure —

let the Tsarevna bear a child." And at the word that
very instant the Tsarevna became pregnant, and in ten
months she bore a son.

Then the Tsar began to ask her, " Do acknowledge
with whom you have been guilty."

Then the Tsarevna wept and swore in every way that
she had been guilty with nobody. " I do not know
myself," she said, " why the Lord has chastised me."

The Tsar asked, but found nothing out.

Soon a boy was born who grew not by days but by
hours ; and at the end of a week he could already talk.
So the Tsar summoned all the boydrs and the senators
from every part of the kingdom to show them the

276 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

youth, but none of them acknowledged that he was
the fathef .

" No," the boy answered, " none of them is my
father."

Then the Tsar bade the maids of honour and atten-
dants take him up to every courtyard, through all the
streets, and to show him to all manner of people. So
the attendants and maids of honour took the youth
through all the courtyards, through all the streets they
went. But the boy said nothing.

At last they came to the poor peasant's hut. As soon
as the boy saw that peasant, he at once stretched out his
little hands and said " Tydtya, Tydtya ! " Then they
told the Emperor of this, and they summoned the poor
man into the palace, and the Tsar began to inquire of
him, " Acknowledge on oath, is this your boy ? "

" No, he is God's son."

Then the Tsar was angry and married the poor man
to the Princess, and after the wedding he set them both
with the child in a big tub, smeared it with tar, and
sent it out into the open sea. So the tub sailed on the
open sea, and the boisterous winds carried and bore it
to a distant shore. When the poor man heard that the
water no longer moved under them, he said :

"At the pike's good pleasure,
At God's good measure —

let the barrel rest on a dry spot."

So the barrel turned round and got on to a dry spot,
and they went on, following their eyes. And they went
on and on, on and on, and they had nothing to eat or
drink. The Princess was utterly exhausted and had
pined away to a shadow, and she could hardly stand on
her legs.

< " Now," said the poor man, " do you know what
hunger and thirst are ? "

AT THE BEHEST OF THE PIKE 277

" Yes, I do," said the Princess.

" Well, this is what the poor have to endure. Yet you
would not give me alms on Easter Day." Then the po6r
man said :

" At the pike's good pleasure,
Of God's good treasure —

let there be here a rich palace, the finest in all the world,
with gardens and ponds and all sorts of pavilions."

As soon as he had spoken a rich palace appeared ;
faithful henchmen ran out of it and carried them in
their hands, led them into the white stone rooms, and
they sat down at the oaken tables with chequered linen
on them. It was marvellously decorated, was this
palace. On the table everything was ready, wine and
sweets and made dishes. The poor man and the
Tsarevna ate and drank at their will, rested them, and
went for a walk into the garden.

" Everything is beautiful here," said the Princess ;
" the only thing still lacking is to see the birds upon our
ponds."

" Wait, you shall have birds as well," answered the
poor man, and he said at once :

"At the pike's good pleasure.
At God's good measure —

let twelve ducks and one drake swim on the pond, and
let them have one feather of gold and another of silver,
and let the drake have a diamond tuft on his forehead ! "
And lo and behold, on the water there were twelve ducks
and one drake swimming ; one feather was of gold
and one feather was of silver, and the drake had a
diamond tuft on his forehead.

So there the Princess and her husband lived without
grief or moil, and their son grew up a big lad and began
to feel in himself a giant's strength. And he asked leave

2/8 RUSSIAN FOLKrTALES

of his father and mother to go out into the white world
and to seek himself I a bride. They gave him leave to go,
and said,/' Go, my son."

So he saddled his knightly horse and set out on his
road and way. And as he journeyed on he met an old
woman who said, " Hail, Russian prince, where do you
wish to go ? "

" I am going, babushka,'^ to seek a bride, but I do not
know where I am to find her."

"Stay, I will tell you, my child. Do you go beyond
the ocean into the thrice-tenth kingdom ; there there
is a king's daughter so fair, that, if you go through all the
world, you will never find any one more beautiful."

So the good youth thanked the woman, went to the
seashore, hired a boat, and sailed to the thrice-tenth
land. He sailed, maybe far, maybe near, maybe long^
maybe short — the tale is soon told but the deed is not
soon done — ^and he at last arrived at that kingdom, and
appeared before the king of it, and asked for his daughter's
hand in marriage.

Then the King said to him, " You are not the only
suitor for my daughter ; there is another suitor, a
mighty knight. If I refuse him he will destroy all of- my
kingdom."

" But, if you decline my offer, I will ravage your
kingdom."

"What will you? — you had better measure your
strength with him : to whichever of you conquers I
will give my daughter."

" Very well ; summon all the Tsars- and Tsarevichi,
aE the Kings and Korolevichi, to see us wage an honour-
able holmgang to win your daughter."

So then hunters were sent out to all cities, and one
year had not gone by before from all the neighbouring
parts all the Tsars and Tsarevichi, all the Kings and
^ Grandmother.

AT THE BEHEST OF THE PIKE 279

Korolevichi came together, as also the Tsar who had put
his own daughter into the barrel and sent her out into
the sea.

On the day appointed all the knights made ready for
a bloody holmgang. They fought and fought, and the
earth groaned at their blows, the forests bowed down
and the rivers rose in waves. The Tsarevna's son first
overcame his opponent and cut off his turbulent head.

Then all the royal boydrs ran up, took the doughty
youth into their hands and led him into the palace.
Next day he was married to the Korolevna. And after
they had feasted at the wedding he set about inviting all
the Tsars and Tsarevichi, the Kings and the Korolevichi
as his guests to his father and mother. So they all came
together, and they got their ships ready and sailed on the
sea. The Tsarevna with her husband received her
guests with honour, and they began to celebrate banquets
and to be joyous. The Tsars and the Tsarevichi, the
Kings and the Korolevichi, gazed at the palace and the
gardens and wondered. They had never seen such
wealth. Then some of them wondered when they saw
the ducks and drakes, every one of them worth half a
kingdom.

So the guests were fed and bethought themselves of
going home, but before ever they had got to the haven,
swift hunters precursed them, saying, " Our master bids
you turn back again ; he wishes to hold secret counsel
with you."

So the Tsars and Tsarevichi, the Kings and Koro-
levichi, were turning back, when the master came to
meet them and said : " Oh ye good folk, one of my
ducks has gone : has any one of you taken it ? "

" Why are you making a vain quest ? " the Tsars and
Tsarevichi, the Kings and Korolevichi answered ; " this
would be an unguestly act. Search us all over. If
you find the duck on any one of us do with him

28o RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

what you will ; if you do not, let your own head pay
for it."

" I will," said the master. And he placed them all in
a row and searched them ; and, as soon as he had come
to the father of the Tsarevna, he said quietly :

"At the pike's good pleasure.
At God's good measure —

under the lappet of the kaftan of this Tsar, let the duck
be found." So he went and lifted his kaftan and found
the duck tied to the lappet ; one feather was of gold,
one was of silver.

Then all the Tsars and Tsarevichi, Kings and Koro-
levichi cried out fiercely, " Ho ! ho ! ho ! what a deed !
are Tsars turning into thieves ? "

Then the Tsarevna's father swore by everything holy
that as to thieving there had never been such an idea in
his head. And he had no idea how the duck had come
to him.

" That is a fine tale ; it was found on you ; you must
be guilty."

Then the Tsarevna came out, burst upon her father,
and acknowledged that she was his daughter whom he
had given away to the poor peasant in marriage and had
put into a barrel. " Bdtyushka"'^ she said, " you would
not then believe my words, and now you have acknow-
ledged yourself that it is possible to be guilty without
guilt."

And she told him how it had all arisen. And after that
they began to live, and Hved all together and Hved all
for good and forgot bygones.

1 Father:

THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

An archimandrite one day got up for matins ; and,
whilst laving his hands, saw an unclean spirit in the
Holy Water, seized him and crossed him.

The devil besought him : " Let me go. Father, I will
do you any service I can ; I will, I will ! "

So the Archimandrite said : " Will you take me to
Jerusalem between High Mass and matins ? "

The Archimandrite released him, and after matins was
transported to Jerusalem, and was back in time for High
Mass. Then inquiries were set going how this might
be, and every one was astonished how he could get to
Jerusalem and back so fast. They asked him about it,
and he told them the story.

281

YkZXJZk AND VOLGA

The Volga and the Vazuza had a long argument whether
who was the wiser and the stronger and the more honour-
able of the two. They contended and quarrelled, and
could not decide it. So they resolved at last : " Let us
both go to sleep at the same time, and the one which
wakes up earlier and first reaches the Khvalynsk Sea is
wiser and stronger and the more honourable."

So the Volga went to sleep, and so did the Vazuza.

But at night the Vazuza got up quietly and ran away
from the Volga ; she took the next nearest way and
flowed off.

When the Volga woke up she went neither hurriedly
nor lagging, but in an ordinary fashion. At Zubtsov she
overtook the Vazuza, and looked so threatening that the
Vazuza was frightened, and owned she was the younger
daughter, and begged the Volga to take her in her arms
into the Sea of Khvalynsk.

And, to this day, the Vazuza wakes up in the spring
before the Volga, and wakes the Volga up out of her
winter sleep.

2S2

THE ENCHANTED^ TSAREVIGH

Once upon a time there was a merchant who had three
daughters : it so happened he had one day to go to
strange countries to buy wares, and so he asked his
daughters, " What shall I bring you from beyond the
seas? "

The eldest asked for a new coat, and the next one also
asked; for a new coat ; but the youngest one only took a
sheet of paper and sketched a flower on it : " Bring me,
bdtfushka,^ 3l flower like this ! "

So the merchant went and made a long journey to
foreign kingdoms, but he could never see such a flower.
So he came back home, and he saw on his way a splendid
lofty palace with watch-towers, turrets, and' a garden. He
went a walk in the garden;, and you cannot imagine how
many trees he saw and flowers, every flower fairer than the
other flowers. And then he looked and he saw a single one
Uke the one which his daughter had sketched. " Oh,"
he said, " I wiU tear off and bring this to my beloved
daughter : evidently there is nobody here to watch me."
So, he ran up and broke it off, and as soon as he had done
it, in that very instant a boisterous wind arose and
thunder thundered, and a. fearful monster stood in front
of him, a formless, winged snake with three heads.

" How dared you play the master in my garden ! "
cried the snake to the merchant. " Why have you
broken off a blossom f "

The merchant was frightened, fell on his knees and
besought pardon.

» Father.
283

284 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Very well," said the snake, " I will forgive you, but
on condition that whoever meets you first, when you
reach home, you must give me for all eternity ; and, if
you deceive me, do not forget, nobody can ever hide
himself from me : I shall find you wherever you are."

The merchant agreed to the condition and came back
home.

And the youngest daughter saw him from the window
and ran out to meet him. Then the merchant hung his
head, looked at his beloved daughter, and began to shed
bitter tears.

" What is the matter with you ? why are you weeping,
bdtyushka ? "

He gave her the blossom and told what had befallen
him.

" Do not grieve, bdtyushka" said the youngest
daughter, " it is God's gift : perhaps I shall fare well.
Take me to the snake."

So the father took her away, set her in the palace,
bade farewell, and set out home.

Then the fair maiden, the daughter of the merchant,
went in the different rooms, and beheld everywhere gold
and velvet ; but no one was there to be seen, not a single
human Soul.

Time went by and went by, and the fair damsel
became hungry and thought, " Oh, if I could only have
something to eat ! " But before ever she had thought,
in front of her stood a table, and on the table were dishes
and drinks and refreshments : the only thing that was
not there was birds' milk. Then she sat down to the
table, drank and ate, got up, and it had all vanished.

Darkness now came on, and the merchant's daughter
went into the bedroom, wishing to lie down and sleep.
Then a boisterous wind rustled round and the three-
headed snake appeared in front of her.

" Hail, fair maiden ! put my bed outside this door ! "

THE ENCHANTED TSAREVICH 285

So the fair maiden put the bed outside the door and
herself lay on the bedstead.

,She awoke in the morning, and again in the entire
house there was not a single soul to be seen. And it all
went well with her : whatever she wished for appeared
on the spot.

In the evening the snake flew to her and ordered,
" Now, fair maiden, put my bed next to your bedstead."

She then laid it next to 'her bedstead, and the night
went by, and the maiden awoke, and again there was
never a soul in the palace.

And for the third time the snake came in the evening
and said, " Now, fair maiden, I am going to lie with you
in the bedstead."

The merchant's daughter was fearfully afraid of lying
on a single bed with such a formless monster. But she
could not help herself, so she strengthened her heart and
lay down with him.

In the morning the serpent said to her, " If you are
now weary, fair maiden, go to your father and your
sisters : spend a day with them, and in the evening come
back to me. But see to it that you are not late. If you
are one single minute late I shall die of grief."

" No, I shall not be late," said the maiden, the mer-
chant's daughter, and descended the steps ; there was
a barouche ready for her, and she sat down. That very
instant she arrived at her father's courtyard.

Then the father saw, welcomed, kissed her, and asked
her, " How has God been dealing with you, my beloved
daughter ? Has it been well with you ? "

" Very well, father ! " And she started telling of all
the wealth there was in the palace, how the snake loved
her, hovy whatever she only thought of was in that in-
stant fulfilled.

The sisters heard, and did not know what to do out of
sheer envy.

286 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Now the day was ebbing away, arid the fair maiden,
made ready to go back, and was bidding farewell to her
father and her sisters, saying, " This is the time I must
go back : I was bidden keep to my term."

But the envious sisters rubbed onions on their eyes and
made as though they were weeping : " Do not go away,
sister ; stay until to-morrow."

She was very sorry for her sisters, and stayed one day
more.

In the morning she bade farewell to them aU and went
to the palace. When she arrived it was as empty as before.
She went into the garden, and she saw the serpent lying
dead in the pond ! He had thrown himself for sheer
grief into the water.

" Oh, my God, what have I done ! " cried out the
fair maiden, and she wept bitter tears, ran up to the
pond, hauled the snake out of the water, embraced one
head and kissed it with all her might. And the snake
trembled, and in a minute turned into a good youth.

" I thank you, fair maiden," he said. " You have
saved me from the greatest misfortune. I am no snake,
but an enchanted Prince."

Then they went back to the merchant's house, were
betrothed, lived long, and lived for good and happy
things.

THE SNAKE PRINCESS

A Cossack was going on his road and way, and he arrived
in the sleepy forest, and in that forest, in a glade, stood
a hayrick. So the Cossack stood in front just to have a
little rest, lay down in front of the hayrick and smoked
his pipe, went on smoking, smoking, and never saw that
a spark had fallen into the hay. After his rest he again
mounted his horse and went on his road.

. But he had gone only some dozen paces, when a flame
blazed out and lit up the wood. Then the Cossack
looked back steadily, and saw the hayrick burning, and
in the middle of the flame a fair maiden standing, saying
in a threatening voice, " Cossack, good man, save me
from death ! "

" How shall I save you ? I see flames all around and
cannot get up to you."

" Thrust your pike into the flame : I will jump out
on to it."

So the Cossack thrust his. pike into the flame and leapt
to avoid the great heat. Then the fair maiden turned
into a snake, crept on to the pike, crawled round the
Cossack's neck, coiled herself round his neck three times
and put her tail between her mouth. The Cossack was
frightened and had no notion what he should do or
what should come to "him.

Then the snake spoke to him in a human voice : " Do
not be frightened, good youth ; bear me on your neck
for seven years, and go to seek the Kingdom of Tin :
when you arrive in that kingdom stay there and live
there seven years more, and do not ever leave it : if you
serve this service you shall be happy."

287

288 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the Cossack went to look for the Kingdom o£ Tin ;
much time went hy, much water flowed in the river,
and at the end of the seventh year he at last reached a
steep mountain, and on that mountain stood a castle of
tin, and around the castle was a lofty white stone wall.
So he climbed up the mountain, and the wall opened
in front of him, and he arrived at a broad courtyard.
At that same instant the snake disentangled herself from
his neck, struck the grey earth, and turned into the
maiden of his soul, vanished from his eyes as though she
had never been there.

The Cossack stabled his horse, went into the palace,
and began looking at the rooms : there were looking-
glasses all about, silver and velvet, but never a soul of a
man to be seen. " Ah ! " thought the Cossack, " Wher-
ever have I got to ? Who will give me food and drink ?
I must here die of thirst and hunger." And whilst he
was thinking this, lo and behold ! in front of him stood
a covered table, and on the table was food and drink,
enough for all. So he tasted what he would, drank what
he would, strengthened his body, and thought of mount-
ing on his horse to survey. He went into the stable, and
the horse was standing in the stall and was eagerly
devouring oats.

Well, this affair had turned out very well after all ;
possibly he might go on living without any suffering.
So the Cossack stayed for a very, very long time in the
tin castle, until he became wearied unto death : it might
be a joke, but he was always alone and could never
exchange as much as a whisper with anybody. So, from
sheer grief, he drank himself drunk and thought he would
go out into the free world. But wherever he ventured
forth there were lofty walls, with neither an entrance
nor an exit. So he grew very angry, and the doughty
youth took his cudgel, went into the palace and began
knocking about the looking-glasses and mirrors, tearing

THE SNAKE PRINCESS 289

up the velvet, breaking the chairs, shattering the silver.
Possibly, he thought, the owner might come and let him
free. But no, never a soul appeared !

Then the Cossack lay down to sleep. Next day he
woke up, went for a walk and a saunter, and he thought
he would like to have some food, and he looked around :
there was nothing to be had. " Ah ! " he thought, " The
slave rains on herself the blows if unfaithfully she mows.
I smoked to death yesterday, and to-day I must starve."
He had despaired. And that very instant food and drink
stood ready for him.

Three days went by : the Cossack slept in the morn-
ing, and then looked out of the window, and his good
horse stood saddled at the steps. What did that mean ?
So he washed and dressed, prayed to God, took his long
pike and went into the open courtyard.

Suddenly, from somewhere or other, the fair maiden
appeared and said, " Health to you, good youth : the
seven years are over. You saved me from my perdition
and my end. Now, listen to me : I am a king's daughter ;
Koshchey the Deathless fell in love with me, took me
away from my father and from my mother, wished to
marry me, but I always laughed at him. Then he grew
angry, and he turned me into a wild snake : I thank you
for your long service. We wiU fare forth to my father's
court ; he wiU wish to reward you with gold from his
treasury and with precious stones : but do you take
nothing of them. Simply ask for the keg which is lying
in his cellar."

" But what is the use of that ? "

" If you turn that keg to the right a palace appears
forthwith, if you turn it to the left, it vanishes."

" Very well," said the Cossack.

So he mounted his steed, set himself and the fair
princess on it, and the lofty walls moved away from
before him, and they set out on their road and way.
V

290 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

May be long, may be short, at last they arrived at the
kingdom named : the king saw his daughter and was
overjoyed, began expressing his thanks and gave the
Cossack sacks full of gold and pearls : but the doughty
youth answered him, " I desire neither gold nor pearls,
give me as a remembrance of you simply the keg which
is lying in your cellar."

" You ask for a great gift, brother ; but I must do
what you say, for my daughter is dearer to me than all
else that I have here. I do not regret the barrel ; take
it and go with God."

So the Cossack took the royal gift and set out to roam
through the white world. He went on and on, and he
met an ancient old man on the way : the old man an-
swered him, " Give me food and drink, good youth ! "

So the Cossack leapt from his horse, undid the keg,
turned it to the right, and a miraculous palace appeared
on the spot : both of them went into the painted rooms
and sat on covered chairs. " Ho, ye my faithful ser-
vants ! " cried out the Cossack, " give food and drink
to this guest." Before ever the words were uttered, the
servants brought an entire ox and three casks of beer.

The old man set to and gourmandised, making the
best of it. He ate the entire ox, and he drank the three
casks of beer, croaked and said, " That was a small gift :
still I cannot help it. I thank you for the bread and
salt." Then they went out of the palace, and the Cossack
turned his keg to the left, and there was no sign of the
palace.

" Let us exchange," said the old man to the Cossack.
" I wiU give you a sword, and you give me the keg : what
is the use of the keg to you ? This is a sword which slays
of itself : you need only wave it, and however incalcu-
lable the force may be it wiU slay them aU in front of it.
You see that forest ? Shall I show you what it can do ? ".
Then the old man drew his sword and said to it, " Set to

THE SNAKE PRINCESS 291

work, self-slaying sword, and despoil all the dreamy
forest." So the sword flew out of his hands, cut down
the trees, and laid them all down in regular boards.
Then, after it had cut them down, it came back to its
master.

So the Cossack did not long bethink him, but gave
the old man his keg and took the self-slaying sword,
waved the sword, and killed the old man. Then he tied
the keg to his saddle, mounted his horse, and thought he
would go back to the King. But just then a terrible
enemy was besieging the capital city of that King, and
the Cossack saw an incalculable host and array, waved
his sword and said, " Self -slaying sword, serve me a
service and spill the hostile host." And then there was
a fine sight — ^heads flying about, blood flowing freely —
and within one hour all the field was covered with
corpses.

Then the King came out, kissed him, and decided to
give him the fair princess to wife.

It was a gorgeous wedding. I was there at the wed-
ding. I drank mead and wine: it flowed up to my
whiskers, but it never entered my mouth.

BEER AND BREAD

In a certain kingdom, in a certain State, there once
lived a rich peasant, and he had much money and bread ;
he used to lend money on interest to the poor husband-
men of his village. Aixd, if he gave corn, then it had to
be returned in fuU in the summer ; and in addition to
that, for every three pecks the debtor had to work two
days on the lord's field.

And one day it happened that there was a festival in
the Church, and the peasants began brewing beer for
the feast. But in this village there was a peasant who
was so poor that there was no poorer to be found. And
there he sat in the evening with his wife on the eve of
the festival in his little hut. He was thinking : " What
shall I do ? All the good folk are now gadding about
making merry, and we have not a crust of bread in our
house. I might have gone to the rich man and asked
him for a loan ; but he would not trust me. Now what
shall I do, I so woebegone ! " And he thought and
thought, and he left the bench and stood in front of the
icon, and sighed a heavy sigh. " Lord," he said, " have
forgiveness on my sins, for I cannot buy any oil with
which to fill the lamp in front of Thy icon for Thy
feast."

And after a little while, an old man came into the hut.

" Hail, master," he said. " Hail, old man ! Can I
stay the night here f "

" If you will. Stay the night if you like. But,
Gossip, I have not a crust of bread in my house, and I
cannot feed you."

292

BEER AND BREAD 293

"Never mind, master, I have three crusts of bread,
and meat : give me a ladle of water, I will take a taste
of the loaf and a sup of the water, and we shall be
satisfied."

So the old man sat down on the bench, and spoke.

" Why are you so sad, master ? What has made you
melancholy ? "

" Old man," the master answered, " why should I
not be heavy ? — ^it is God's gift. We were so looking
forward to the feast. All the good folk are making merry
and rejoicing, but we are clean swept out. All around
me and within there is emptiness."

" Well, be of good cheer," said the old man ; " go to
the rich peasant and ask whatever you require of him as
a debt."

" No, I cannot go, for he will not give it."

" Go," the old man insisted. " Fear nothing. Ask
him for three pecks of malt, and we will brew the beer
together."

" But it is so late. How shall we brew beer ? — ^the
feast is to be to-morrow."

" Do what I say. Go to the rich peasant and ask for
the three pecks of malt. He will give it you at once.
No, he cannot refuse it. And to-morrow you shall have
beer so good at the feast — better than any you shall
find throughout the village."

What could the poor man say ? He got up, took his
sack under his arm, and went up to the rich peasant.

He went into the rich man's izbd,^ bowed down,
besought him by his name and his father's name, and
asked him for the loan of three pecks of malt, as he
wanted to brew beer for the festival.

" Why did you not think of it sooner ? " the rich man
replied. " How can you do it now, for this is the eve of
the festival ? "

> Hut.

294 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

"Never mind, Gossip," the poor man replied; "if
you will be so good, I and my wife wiU still brew some-
thing together, and can drink together and celebrate
the festival."

The rich man gave him three pecks of malt and poured
them into his sack. The poor man lifted the sack on to
his shoulders and went home and recounted how things
had gone.

" Now, master," his old guest said, " you shall have a
feast. Is there a well at your door ? "

" There is," said the peasant.

" Well, we will go to your well and brew the beer.
Bring your sack and follow me."

So they went out to the courtyard up to the well.

" Pour it all in there," the old man said.

" Why should we hurl aU this good stuff into the well ? "
the master replied, " for there are only three pecks, and
it will aU be thrown away for nothing."

" It is the best thing you can do."

" We shall not do any good — ^we shall only sully the
water."

" Listen to me, and do what I say : there is nothing
to fear."

So what could he do ? He simply had to pour all his
malt into the well.

" Now," the old man said, " formerly there was water
in the well, and to-morrow it will be beer. Now, master,
we will go into the izbd^ and he down to sleep, for the
morning is wiser than the evening, and to-morrow you
wiil have such good beer for dinner that one glass will
make you drunk."

So they waited until the morning, and then when
dinner-time came round the old man said : " Well,
master, get as many tubs as you can, and stand them
round the well and fill them all full of beer, and then

1 Hut.

BEER AND BREAD 295

call every one in to drink, and you shall have a really
riotous feast."

And the peasant went and called all his neighbours
and asked for tubs.

" What do you want all these tubs and pails for ? "
they asked him.

" Oh, I really want them at once, as I have not vessels
enough to hold my beer."

And the neighbours whispered : " What on earth does
he mean ? Is the good fellow gone mad ? There is not
a crust of bread in his house, and he is still chattering
about beer." 1

Well, somehow or other, he got twenty pails and tubs
together, put them all round the well, and began to
haul them up. And the beer turned out so fine, finer
than ever anybody could think or guess, or any tale
could tell. And he filled all the tubs to the very brim,
and the well was as full as ever. And he began to cry
out aloud and to call guests to his door.

" Come to me, good Christians, and drink strong
beer here, such beer as you never saw in your hfe ! "

And the people looked round. " What on earth was
he up to ? Surely you take water out of a well, and he
calls it beer ? Anyhow, let's go and see, whatever
knavery it may be." So they all rushed up to the tubs,
and they began to ladle it out and to look at it. Evi-
dently, after all, it must be beer. And they said:
" Such beer we have never drunk before ! " His court-
yard was full of the village folk. And the master was
not at a loss to ladle beer out of the well for himself,
and treated all of his guests right royally.

When the rich peasant heard of this, he came to the
poor man's courtyard, tasted the beer, and began to ask
the poor man : " Please to tell me how ever you managed
to make such magnificent beer ? "

" Oh, there was not any cleverness about it," the poor

296 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

man answered. " It is the simplest thing in the world.
When I took your three pecks from you I simply went
and threw them into the well. Formerly it was water,
and in a single night it aU became beer."

" Well," the rich man thought, " I will go home and
I will do the same."

So he went home, and he ordered all of his servants to
take all of the best malt out of his granaries, and throw
it into the well. And his husbandmen threw ten sacks
of malt into the well.

" Now," the rich man said, and rubbed his hands,
" I shall have finer beer than the poor man."

So the next time he went out to his courtyard and up
to the well, sampled it, and looked. It was water before,
and it was still water ; only it was rather dirtier. " I
don't quite understand this : I put too little malt into
it, so I wiU add some more," the rich man thought, and
he ordered his workmen to put five more sacks into the
well. They were aU thrown in, and it was aU no good :
he had simply wasted all of his malt.

And when the feast had passed by the water in the
poor peasant's well was as pure as ever, just as if nothing
had happened.

Once again the old man came to the poor peasant and
said : " Listen, master, have you sown your corn this
year ? "

" No, grandfather, I have not sown a single grain."

" Well, now go to the rich man and ask him for three
pecks of every kind of corn. We wiU eat with you in
the fields, and we wiU then sow the corn."

" How shall we sow it now ? " the poor man answered.
"It is now the very midst of winter and the frost is
crackling."

" Never mind about that. Go and do as I say. I
brewed you beer, and I will sow you corn."

So the poor man went once more to the rich peasant

BEER AND BREAD 297

and asked him as a debt for three pecks of every kind
of corn. When he came back he told his aged guest :

" Here it all is, grandfather."

So they went outside to the fields, scattered it accord-
ing to its nature on the peasant's lots ; and lo and behold !
they went and threw all the grains on the white snow —
every single grain.

The old man said to the peasant : " Go home and wait
until the summer ; you will have bread enough."

So the poor man went to his hut and became the
laughing-stock of the village for sowing his corn in the
winter. " Look at him ! What a fool he is ! He has
forgotten when he ought to sow : he didn't think of
sowing in the autumn." He never minded, but waited
for the spring, and the warm days came, and the snow
melted, and the grain sprouts appeared.

" Come now," the poor man said, " I will go and see
what my stretch of land looks like." So he went to his
stretch of land and saw such splendid blades of corn, at
which any soul might rejoice. And on all the acres of
the others it was not half as fine. " Glory be to God ! "
the peasant cried ; " I am now looking up ! "

Soon the time of harvest came by, and all good folk
began to gather their corn, and the old man also went
and busied himself, and called his wife to help him.
And he could not get through, but had to summon for
the harvesting all the husbandmen, and to give half of
his corn away ; and all the peasants were astonished at
the poor man, for he had not sown his land, but had
scattered the seeds in the winter and his corn had been
splendid. The poor peasant had put his affairs straight
and had managed to live without any trouble ; and
whatever he required for his household, he went into
the town, sold quarters and quarters of corn, and
bought whatever he required, and repaid the rich,
peasant his debt in full.

298 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Then the rich peasant began to think : " Heigh-ho !
I shall also begin sowing in the winter ; possibly I shall
have corn as fine." So he waited to the very day on
which the poor peasant in the previous year had sown
his corn, went and took from his bins quarters of different
sorts of corn, went out into the fields and scattered it all
on the snow. He covered the fields entirely, but a storm
arose at night, and mighty winds blew, and wafted all
the corn from his land away on to the other fields.

Then there came a fine spring, and the rich man went
to his fields and saw them bare, and saw that his own
land was naked and waste ; there was not a single blade
that appeared, and on aU the other strips where there
had been no ploughing and no sowing, you never saw
such a fine green crop ! Then the rich man began to
think : " Lord, I have spent much on corn, and it has
all been in vain, and my debtors have all neither ploughed
nor sown, and their corn grows of itself. Needs I must
be a great sinner ! "

SORROW

Once upon a time, in a wretched village, there lived two
peasants, who were own brothers. One was poor, how-
ever, and the other rich. The rich man settled in the
town, built himself a fine house, and became a merchant.
Sometimes the poor brother had not a crumb o£ bread
and the children (each of whom was smaller than the
others) cried and begged for something to eat. From
morning to evening the peasant trudged away like a fish
on ice, but it was all of no good.

One day he said to his wife : " I am going into the
town, in order to beg my brother to help me."

So he came to the rich man and asked him : " Brother,
help me in my sorrow, for my wife and children sit at
home without any bread and are starving."

" If you will work for me this week I will help
you."

What was the poor fellow to do ? He set to work,
cleaned out the courtyard, groomed the horses, carried
the water, hewed the wood. When the week had gone
by the rich man gave him a loaf of bread. " There, you
have a reward for your pains."

" I thank you for it," said the poor man, and bowed
down, and was going home.

" Stay," the rich brother said to him : " Come with
your wife to-morrow and be my guests. To-morrow is
my name-day,"

" Oh, brother, how can I ? As you know, merchants
who wear boots and furs come to see you, whilst I have
only bast shoes, and I only have my grey coat."

299

300 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Never mind ! Come to-morrow ; I shall still have
room for you."

" Good brother ! I will come."

So the poor man went home, gave his wife the loaf of
bread, and said : " Listen, wife. To-morrow you and
I are to be guests."

" Who has asked us ? "

" My brother. To-morrow is his name-day."

" All right, let's go."

Next day they got up and went into the town. They
came to the rich man's door, greeted him, and sat down
on a bench. And at table there were many guests, and
the master of the house entertained them all magnifi-
cently. Only he forgot the poor brother and his wife,
and he gave them nothing. They sat there, and could
only look at the others eating and drinking. When the
meal was over the guests rose from table and bowed
their thanks to the master and mistress, and the poor
man also stood up from his bench and bowed down deep
before his brother ; and the guests went home drunken
and merry, noisily singing songs.

But the poor man went home with an empty stomach.
" We too must sing a song ! " he said to his wife.

" Oh, you fool, the others sing, for they have had a
good dinner and have drunk well. Why should we
sing ? "

" Well, after all, I was a guest at my brother's name-
day, and I am ashamed of going back so silently. If I
sing they will all think, anyhow, that I have been served
as well."

" Sing if you will ! I shall not ! "

So the peasant sang and sang, and he heard two voices.
So he stopped and asked his wife : " Are you helping me
to sing with a thin voice ? "

" What are you thinking of ? I was doing nothing
of the sort."

SORROW 301

" What was it, then ? "

" I don't know," said the wife. " Sing. I will listen."

So he went on singing by, himself, and again the two
voices were heard. So he stayed still, and said, " Sorrow,
are you aiding me to sing ? "

And Sorrow answered : " Yes, I am aiding you."

" Now, Sorrow, we will go on together."

" Yes, I will ever remain with you."

So the peasant went home. But Sorrow called him
into the inn.

He said : " I have no money."

" Never mind, Hodge ; what do you want money
for ? " Why, you still have half of a fur ; what is the
use of it ? It will soon be summer, and you will be no
longer requiring it. We will go into the inn and drink
it up."

So the peasant and Sorrow went into the inn, and
they drank up the half-fur. Next day Sorrow groaned
and said he had a headache, a fearful headache, owing
to last night's treat. And he enticed the peasant once
more to bib wine.

" But I have no money ! "

" There is no need of money. Take your sleigh and
your carriage ; that will be sufficient for us ! "

It was not any good. The peasant could not escape
Sorrow. So he took his sleigh and his carriage, drove
them to the inn, and drank them with Sorrow. And in
the morning Sorrow groaned yet further, and reduced
the master to further drinking ; and the peasant drank
away his ploughshare and his plough.

One month had gone by, and he had drunk all his
property away, pledged his izbd^ to a neighbour, and
spent all the money in the inn. Then Sorrow came to
him once more. " Let us go to the inn ! "

" No, Sorrow, I have no more."

1 Hut.

302 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" Why, your wife has two sarafans, one will be suffi-
cient for her."

So the peasant took the sarafan, drank it up ; and
he thought : " Now I have not anything left, neither
house, nor clothes, nor anything else for myself or my
wife ! »

Next morning Sorrow woke up and saw that there
was nothing more he could take. So he said : " Master,
what is your wish ? Go to your neighbour and borrow
a pair of oxen and a carriage."

So the peasant went to his neighbour and said, " Can
you lend me a car and a pair of oxen for a short time,
and I will do a week's work for them ? "

" What do you want with them ? "

" To fetch wood out of the forest."

" Well, then, take them, but don't overload them."

" Oh, of course not, uncle ! "

So the peasant took the oxen, went with Sorrow into
the carriage, and drove into the field,

" Do you know the big stone in this field ? " Sorrow
asked.

" Oh, yes ! "

" Well, then, drive up to it."

So they arrived at the stone and dismounted. Sorrow
bade the peasant lift up the stone, and he aided him in
the work. Under the stone there was a hoUow filled with
gold.

" Now, what do you see ? " said Sorrow. " Load it
all up quickly on to the coach."

So the peasant set to work sharply, loaded all the gold
up, to the very last ducats. And when he noticed there
was not anything left, he said, " Sorrow, is there no more
gold there ? "

" I don't see any."

"Down there in the corner I see something glitter-
ing."

SORROW 303

" No ; I cannot see anything."

" Get down into the pit, and you will see it."

So Sorrow went into the pit, and as soon as he was in

the peasant cast the stone in. " Things will now go

better," said the peasant, " for if I were to take you

back with me, Sorrow, you would drink up all of this

■ money ! "

So the peasant went home, and he poured out the
gold in the cellar. He took the oxen back to his neigh-
bour, and he began to set up house again, bought a
wood, built a big house, and became twice as rich
as his brother. Soon he rode to the town, in order
to invite his brother and his sister-in-law to his own
name-day.

" Whatever do you mean f " said the rich brother,
" why, you have nothing to eat, and you are giving
festivals ! "

" I had nothing to eat before, but I am now as well
off as you are."

" All right ; I will come."

So next day the rich man, with his wife, went to the
name-day ; and they .saw that the poor starveling had
a big new house, much finer than many merchants'
houses. And the peasant gave them a rich dinner, with
all kinds of meat and drink.

So the rich man asked his brother : " Tell me, how
did you become so rich ? "

Then the peasant told him the bare truth — ^how
Sorrow had followed on his heels and how he and his
sorrow had gone into the inn, and he had drunk away
all his goods and chattels to the last shred, until he had
only his soul left in his body ; and then how Sorrow
had showed him the treasure-trove in the field, and he
had thus freed himself from the thraldom of Sorrow.

And the rich man became envious and thought :
*' I will go into the field and will lift the stone up.

304 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Sorrow will rend my brother's body asunder, so that he
cannot then brag of his riches in front of me."

So he left his wife behind and drove into the field, to
the big stone. He whirled it off to the side and bowed
down to see what was under the stone. And he had
hardly bowed down, when Sorrow sprang up and sat
on his shoulders.

" O ! " Sorrow cried. " You wanted to leave me here
under the earth. Now I shall never depart from you."

" Listen, Sorrow : I was not the person who locked
you up here ! "

" Who was it, then, if it was not you ? "

" My brother. I came in order to set you free."

" No, you are lying and deceiving me again. This
time it shall not come off."

So Sorrow sat fast on the wretched merchant's
shoulders. He brought Sorrow with him home, and his
household went from bad to worse. Sorrow began early
in the morning enticing the merchant into the beer-
house day after day, and much property was drunk
away.

" This life is absolutely unbearable ! " thought the
merchant. " I have done Sorrow too good a service.
I must now set myself free from him. How shall I ? "
So he thought and he thought it out. He went into his
courtyard, cut two oak wedges, took a new wheel, and
knocked one wedge from one end into the axle. He went
up to Sorrow. " Now, Sorrow, must you lie about Kke
that ? "

" What should I be doing ? What else is there to do ? "

" Come into the courtyard ; let us play hide-and-
seek."

This suited Sorrow down to the ground, and at first
the merchant hid and Sorrow found him at once.

Then Sorrow had to hide. " You will not find me so
easily : I caj; hide myself in any crack."

SORROW 305

" What ! " said the merchant. " Why, you could
never get into this wheel, much less into a crack ! "

" What ! I could not get into the wheel ? Just look
how I manage to hide myself in it ! "

So Sorrow crept into the wheel, and the merchant
took the other oak wedge and drove it into the hub from
the other side, and threw the wheel, with Sorrow inside,
into the river. Sorrow was drowned, and the merchant
lived as before.

IVASHKO AND THE WISE WOMAN

Once there lived an old man and an old dame, and they
only had one little son, and you can't imagine how they
loved him.

One day Ivashechko asked his mother and father,
" Please may I go and catch fish ? "

" What nonsense ! you're much too little yet : you
might get drowned, and that would be a fine story."

" Oh, no, I won't get drowned. I'll go and catch you
a fish : let me go ! "

So grandfather gave him a little white shirt to wear,
with a big red sash, and off he went. Soon he was sitting
in a boat and singing :

Little boat, little boat, sail far away,
O'er the blue water away and away.

The little skiff sailed far and far away and Ivashechko
started fishing. Soon, how long I don't know, up came
the mother to the shore and said :

Ivashechko, Ivashechko, my little son.
Up to the shore let your little boat run :
Here is some drink and here is a bun !

And Ivashechko said :

Little boat, little boat, sail to the shore :
My mother's calling me.

The little skiff sailed up to the shore ; the woman took
the fish and fed her little boy, changed his shirt and sash

306

IVASHKO AND THE WISE WOMAN 307

and sent him out again to catch fish. And there he sat
on the boat and sang :

Little boat, little boat, sail far away,
O'er the blue water away and away.

The little boat sailed out so far away, and Ivashechko
started fishing. Soon the grandfather came to the shore
and called his son :

Ivashechko, Ivashechko, my little son,
Up to the shore let your little boat run :
Here is some drink and here is a bun !

And Ivashechko said :

Little boat, little boat, sail to the shore :
For father's calling me !

The little skiff sailed up to the shore ; the grandfather
took the fish and fed his little boy, changed his shirt and
sash and sent him out again to catch fish. And there he
sat on the boat and sang :

Little boat, little boat, sail far away,
O'er the blue water away and away.

Now the wise woman saw how his grandparents called
Ivashechko, and wanted to get hold of the boy. So she
came to the shore and called out :

Ivashechko, Ivashechko, my little son,
Up to the shore let your little boat run :
Here is some drink and here is a bun !

But Ivashechko knew the voice, and whose voice it was.
So he sang :

Little boat, little boat, sail far away,

O'er the blue water away and away.

The Evil Woman's calling me

3o8 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the wise woman saw she must act the mother's
voice, so she ran to the smith and asked him, " Smith,
just forge me a thin Httle voice like the one Ivashechko's
mother has, or I'll eat you up ! " So the smith forged
the voice just like the mother's. So up she went to the
shore and sang :

Ivashechko, Ivashechko, my little son,
Up to the shore let your little boat run :
Here is some drink and here is a bun !

Ivashechko sailed up ; she took the fish and seized and
took Ivashechko himself away. When she reached home,
she told her daughter Alyonka : " Just make my stove
nice and hot and cook Ivashechko all through. I'll go
assemble my guests."

And Alyonka heated the stove very hot and told
Ivashechko : " Come and sit on the shovel."^

" I'm too young and stupid," Ivashechko answered ;
" show me how to sit on the shovel."

" Oh, that's easy enough ! " said Alyonka ; and as
soon as she was on Ivashechko shoved her into the stove,
slammed the door to and went out of the hut, and
climbed a great big tall oak tree.

The wise woman came with her guests and knocked at
the hut ; there was no reply, no one to open the door.
" Oh, confound Alyonka ; she must have gone out to
play." The wise woman climbed up into the window,
opened the door and admitted her guests, opened the
oven door, took out Alyonka, who was well cooked, and
they all sat down to table and ate and ate and drank, and
at last went out to take a turn on the grass :

" I am dancing, I am prancing, I have eaten Ivas-
hechko's flesh."

Then Ivashechko interrupted from the top of the

' Shovels are used to insert loaves and pots deep into the oven.

IVASHKO AND THE WISE WOMAN 309

tree : " Dance and prance ! you have eaten Alyonka's
flesh,"

" Did I hear anything ? " said the wise woman ; " it
must have been the leaves rustling," Again the wise
woman said, " I am dancing, I am prancing, I have eaten
Ivashechko's flesh ! "

Ivashechko repeated : " Dance and prance ! you have
eaten Alyonka's flesh ! "

So at last she looked up and saw Ivashechko, and began
to gnaw at the oak-tree on which he was sitting, and
gnawed and gnawed, broke two of her front teeth, and
went to the smithy. She called the smith. " Smith,
smith, make me some iron teeth, or I'll eat you up,"

The smith made her two iron teeth.

So back she went and gnawed away at the tree, and as
soon as she had gnawed it through Ivashechko just
jumped on to the next oak-tree, whilst the one the witch
had gnawed through fell down.

Then the wise woman gnawed and gnawed at this
tree, and gnawed and gnawed, broke the two front teeth,
and went to the smithy. She called the smith : " Smith,
smith, make me two more iron teeth, or I'll eat you up."

The smith made her two more iron teeth.

So she went back and gnawed away at the tree.

So Ivashechko did not know what to do. He looked
up and saw geese and swans flying ; he asked them :

Geese and swans, geese and swans,
Waft me away on your pinions :
Take me home to my mother and father ;
With my mother and my father
There is plenty to eat
And life is sweet !

" The next covey may take you," said the birds.
So he waited!. And another flock came, and he re-
peated : I

310 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

Geese and swans, geese and swans,
Waft me away on your pinions :
Take me home to my mother and father;
With my mother and my father
There is plenty to eat
And life is sweet !

" Perhaps the last may take you."
So he waited on, and as the third flock appeared he
said:

Geese and swans, geese and swans,

Waft me away on your pinions :

Take me home to my mother and father ;

With my mother and my father

There is plenty to eat

And life is sweet !

They took him home on their wings up to the hut and
placed Ivashechko in the loft.

Early next day the woman cooked a pancake on the
stove, and whilst cooking it thought of her poor little
boy Ivan, and said : " Where is my Ivashechko ? I
dreamed of him last night ! "

And gaffer said : " I dreamed last night the geese and
swans were wafting our little Ivan home."

She had finished the pancake by now, and said:
" Now, gaffer, we'll share it, this bit for you, this bit
for me ! "

" And none for me ! " Ivashechko chimed in.

" This is for you, and this is for me ! "

" And none for me ! "

" What's that noise, gaffer ? " the woman asked.

The grandfather clattered up into the loft and found
Ivashechko. They were overjoyed, asked him all about
everything, and lived a jolly life.

NEVER-WASH

Once upon a time there was a soldier who had served
through three campaigns, but had never earned as
much as an addled egg, and was then put on the retired
list. Then, as he went on the road marching on and on,
he became tired and sat down by a lake. And, as he
rested, he began thinking things out : " Where shall I
now betake myself, and how shall I feed myself, and
how the devil shall I enter into any service ? "

As soon as he had spoken these words a little devil
rose up at once in front of him and said, " Hail, soldier,
what do you wish ? Did you just now not say that you
wished to become one of our servants ? Why, soldier,
come up and be hired : we will pay you well."

" What is the work ? "

" Oh, the work is easy enough : for fifteen years you
must not shave, you must not have your hair cut, you
must not blow your nose, and you must not change your
garb. If you serve this service, then we will go to the
king, who has three daughters. Two of them are mine,
but the third shall be yours."

" Very well," said the soldier, " I will undertake the
contract ; but I require in return to get anything my
soul hankers after."

" It shall be so ; be at peace ; we shall not be in
default."

" Well, let it befall at once. Carry me at once
into the capital and give me a pile of money ; you
know yourself how little of these goods a soldier ever
gets."

311

312 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the little devil dashed into the lake, got out a pile
o£ gold, and instantaneously carried the soldier into the
great city, and all at once he was there !

"What a fool I have been!" said the soldier: "I
have not done any service, no work, and I now have
the money ! " So he took a room, never cut his hair,
never shaved, never wiped his nose, never changed his
garb, and he lived on and grew wealthy, so wealthy he
did not know what to do with his money. What was
he to do with his silver and gold ? " Oh, very well, I
will start helping the poor : possibly they may pray
for my soul." So the soldier began distributing alms
to the needy, to the right and to the left, and he still
had money over, however much he gave away ! His
fame spread over the whole kingdom, came to the ears
of all.

So the soldier lived for fourteen years, and on the
fifteenth year the Tsar's exchequer gave out. So he
summoned the soldier. So the soldier came to him un-
washed, unshaved, uncombed, with his nose unwiped
and his dress unchanged.

" Health, your Majesty ! "

" Listen, soldier. You, they say, are good to all folks :
will you lend me some money ? I have not enough to
pay my troops. If you will I will make you a general at
once."

" No, your Majesty, I do not wish to be a general ;
but if you will do me a favour, give me one of your
daughters as my wife, and you shall have as much money
as you wish for the Treasury."

So the king began to think : he was very fond of his
daughters, but still he could not do anything whatsoever
without money. " Well," he said, " I agree. Have a
portrait taken of yourself ; I will show it to my daughters
and ask which of them will take you."

So the soldier returned, had the portrait painted,

NEVER-WASH 313

which was feature for feature, unshaved, unwashed,
uncombed, his nose unwiped, and in his old garb, and
sent it to the Tsar.

Now, the Tsar had three daughters, and the father
summoned them and showed them the soldier's portrait.
He said to the eldest, " Will you go and marry him ?
He wiU redeem me from very great embarrassment."

The Tsarevna saw what a monstrous animal had been
painted, with tangled hair, uncut nails and unwiped
nose. " I certainly won't ! " she said, " I would sooner
go to the Devil." And from somewhere or other the
Devil appeared, stood behind her with pen and paper,
heard what she said, and entered her soul on his register.

Then the father asked the next daughter, " Will you
go and marry the soldier ? "

" What ! I would rather remain a maiden ; I would
rather tie myself up with the Devil than go with him."
So the Devil went and inscribed her soul as well.

Then the father asked his youngest daughter, and she
answered, " Evidently this must be my lot : I will go
and marry him and see what God shall give."

Then the Tsar was very blithe at this, and he went and
told the soldier to make ready for the betrothal, and he
sent him twelve carts to carry the money away.

Then the soldier made use of his devil : " There are
twelve carts ; pile them all high at once with gold."
So the devil ran into the lake and the unholy ones set to
work. Some of them brought up one sack, some two,
and they soon filled the carts and sent them to the Tsar,
into his palace.

Then the Tsar looked, and now summoned the soldier
to him every day, sat with him at one table, and ate
and drank with him. When they got ready for the
marriage the term of fifteen years was over. So he
called the little devil and said, " Now my service is over :
turn me into a youth."

314 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

So the devil cut him up into little bits, threw them
into a cauldron, and began to brew him — brewed him,
washed him and collected all his bones, one by one, in
the proper way, every bone with every bone, every joint
with every joint, every nerve with every nerve : then
he sprinkled them with the water of life, and the soldier
arose, such a fine young man as no tale can tell and no
pen can write. He then married the youngest Tsarevna,
and they began to live a merry life of good.

I was at the wedding : I drank mead and beer. They
also had wine, and I drank it to the very dregs.

But the little devil ran back into the lake, for his
elder hauled him over the coals to answer for what
he had done with the soldier. " He has served out his
period faithfully and honourably: he has never once
shaved himself, nor cut his hair, nor wiped his nose, nor
changed his clothes."

Then the elder was very angry. He said, " In fifteen
years you were not able to corrupt the soldier ! Was
all the money given in vain ? What sort of a devil will
you be after this ? " And he had him thrown into the
burning pitch.

" Oh no, please, grandfather," said the grandson, " I
have lost the soldier's soul, but I have gained two others."

" What ? "

" Look : the soldier thought of marrying a Tsarevna ;
the two elder daughters both declined and said they
would rather marry a devil than the soldier. So there
they are, and they belong to us."

So the grandfather-devil approved what the grandson-
imp had done, and set him free. " Yes," he said, " you
know your business very well indeed."

CHRIST AND THE GEESE

One day St. Peter and Christ were out walking together.
St. Peter was deep in thought and suddenly said : " How
fine it must be to be God ! If for half a day I might be
God, then let me be Peter all the rest of my days ! "

The Lord smiled. " Your will shall be granted. Be
God until nightfall."

They were approaching a village, and saw a peasant
girl driving a flock of geese. She drove them to the
meadow, left them there, and hurried back home. •

" Are you going to leave the geese by themselves ? "
St. Peter asked.

" Well, what ? — ^guard them to-day ! It's a feast-day."

" But who wiU look after the geese ? "

" God Almighty, maybe," she said, and ran away.

" Peter, you have heard her," said the Saviour. " I
should have been delighted to go with you to the village
feast, but then the geese might come to some harm.
You are God until nightfall, and must stay and watch
them."

Poor Peter ! He was angry ; but had to stay and
guard the geese. He never again wished to be God.

315

CHRIST AND FOLK-SONGS

One day Christ and St. Peter were walking about the
earth and came to a village. In one house folks were
singing so finely that Christ stayed to listen, whilst
St. Peter went on. He turned back and found Christ
still at His post. St. Peter went on again, and looked
back : Christ was still listening. St. Peter went on again
and then glanced back a third time — ^and Christ was still
listening. Then he went back and heard a splendid folk-
song in the house, stayed a while, and went on to another
house where there also was singing. There St. Peter
stayed, but Christ passed on. St. Peter hurried up and
looked astounded.

" What's the matter ? " asked Christ.

" I could not make out why you stopped to listen to
folk-songs and passed by the house where hymns were
being sung."

" Oh, my dear son," said Christ, " there was a good
scent there in the one house where folk-songs were being
sung ; but there was no reverence about the house where
they were chanting hymns."

316

THE DEVIL IN THE DOUGH-PAN

Once a woman was kneading bread, but had forgotten
to say the blessing. So the demon, Potanka,i ran up
and sat down in it. Then she recollected she had
kneaded the dough without saying the blessing, went
up to it and crossed herself ; and Potanka wanted to
escape, but could not anyhow, because of the blessing.
So she put the leavened dough through a strainer and
threw it out into the street, with Potanka inside. The
pigs turned him over and over, and he could not escape
for three whole days. At last he tore his way out through
a crack in the dough and scampered off without looking
behind him.

He ran up to his comrades, who asked him : " Where
have you been, Potanka ? "

" May that woman be accursed ! " he said.

" Who ? "

" The one who was kneading her dough and had made
it without saying the proper blessing ; so I ran up and
squatted in it. Then she laid hold of me and crossed
herself, and after three livelong days I got out, the pigs
poking me about and I unable to escape ! Never again
will I get into a woman's dough."

* "n" and " /{ " to be sounded distinct as in pin-case.

317

THE SUN, THE MOON, AND CROW CROWSON

Once upon a time there was an old man and an old
woman who had three daughters. The old man went
into the loft for some groats, and took them home, but
there was a hole in the sack, and the groats were ruiming
and running out of the sack.

The old man went home, and the old woman asked,
" Where are the groats ? " But all the groats had
dripped out.

So the old man went to collect them, and said, " If
only the Sun would warm the grain, and the moon show
its light on it, and Crow Crowson help me to get the
groats, I would give my eldest daughter to the little
Sun, and my middle daughter to the Moon, and my
youngest to Crow Crowson." So the old man set to
collecting the grain, and the Sun warmed it, and the
Moon shone on it, and Voron Voronovich helped to
collect the grain.

The old man came back home and said to the eldest
daughter : " You must dress nicely and go out on the
steps." So she dressed and went out on the steps. And
the Sun laid hold of her. And he commanded the
next daughter in the same way to dress herself finely
and to stand on the steps. So she dressed herself up
and went out, and the Moon seized and took away the
second daughter. And he said to the third daughter,
" Dress yourself prettily and stand on the steps." So
she dressed herself prettily and stood on the steps, and
Crow Crowson seized her and carried her away.

Then the old man said, " I think I might go and visit

318

SUN, MOON, AND CROW CROWSON 319

my sons-in-law." So he went to the Sun, and at last he
arrived there.

The Sun asked him, " With what shall I regale you ? "

" Oh, I don't wish for anything ! "

So the Sun bade his wife make a custard ready. So
the daughter prepared the custard ; the Sun sat down
in the middle of the floor, and his wife put the pan on
him and the custard was soon cooked. So they gave
the old father refreshment.

Then the old father went back home and bade his
wife make him a custard ; and he sat down on the floor
and commanded her to put the pan with the custard
on to him.

" What are you talking about ? Bake it on you ! "
said the old wife.

" Go on ! " he replied. " Put it there ; it will be
baked ! "

So she put the pan on him, and the custard stood
there for ages and was not ever cooked, only turned
sour. It was no good. So in the end the wife put the
pan into the stove, and this time the custard was baked
and the old man got something to eat.

Next day the old man went to stay as a guest with his
second son-in-law, the Moon, and he arrived.

And the Moon said, " With what shall I regale
you ? "

" I do not wish for anything," said the old man.

So the Moon got the bath heated ready for him.

The old man said, " Won't it be very dark in the
bath ? "

" No," said the Moon to him, " quite light ; only
step in."

So the old man went into the bath, and the Moon
twisted his little finger into a chink, and it was quite
light in the bathroom. So the old man steamed himself
thoroughly, went back home and told his wife to heat

520 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

the bath at night. So the old woman heated it, and he
sent her there to steam herself.

" But," she said, " it will be much too dark to steam
myself ! "

" Go along ! it will be Hght enough."

So the old woman went. And the old man saw how
the Moon had lit the place up for him, and he went
and bored a tiny hole in the bathroom and thrust his
finger through it.

But there was stiU no light in the bath, and the old
woman shrieked out to him, " Dark ! much too dark ! "
It was not any good. So she went out, brought a lamp,
and enjoyed her steam bath.

On the third day the old man went to Voron Vorono-
vich. He got there.

" How shall I regale you ? " asked Voron Voronovich.

" Oh," said the old man, " I don't want anything ! "

" Well, let us come and sleep on the perch."

So the Crow put a ladder up and climbed up there
with his father-in-law. Crow Crowson settled himself
comfortably with his head under his wing. But as soon
as ever the old man dropped oflE to sleep both of them
fell down and were killed.

THE LEGLESS KNIGHT AND THE BLIND
KNIGHT

In a certain kingdom in a certain land a Tsar and his
Tsaritsa lived. They had a son called Ivan Tsarevich,
and the son had an attendant who was called Katoma
Dyadka^ of the oaken cap. When the Tsar and the
Tsaritsa had reached a great age both o£ them became
ill, and they felt that they would never become hale
again. So they called Ivan Tsarevich, and said to him r
" If we die, always follow Katoma's advice, and do well
by him, then you will live happily ; but if you do not,
you will falter and fail like a fly."

Next day the Tsar and the Tsaritsa died. Ivan
Tsarevich buried his parents, heeded their advice, and
always took counsel with Katoma before undertaking
any"" enterprise.

Very soon, maybe a long time, maybe short, he grew
up, and he wanted to marry. He said to Katoma :
" Katoma, Oaken-cap, it is so melancholy living by
oneself ; I want to marry."

" Tsarevich," Katoma replied, " you are of the age
at which you ought to look for a bride : go into the
great hall, where you will see pictures of all the Koro-
levny* and Tsarevny in the world. Gaze on them care-
fully, and select for yourself a bride, one who pleases you,
and you shall marry her."

Ivan Tsarevich went into the great hall, looked at the
pictures, and he was most delighted with Anna the Fair.
> Uncle : term of affection. " Princesses,

y 321

322 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

She was so fair that she was fairer than any princess in
the world. But under her portrait there was a legend :
" He who can set her a riddle she cannot solve is to marry
her. Anyone whose riddle she solves dies."

Ivan Tsarevich read the legend, and was very sad.
He went up to Katoma and said : " I was in. the great
haU, and I selected as my bride Anna the Fair : but I
do not know whether I can woo her."

" Yes, Tsarevich, it will be hard for you ; if you had
to go there by yourself, you would never win her. Take
me. Do what I say, and all will go well."

Then Ivan Tsarevich begged Katoma Oaken-cap to
fare there with him, and pledged him his word of honour
he would obey him in joy and sorrow.

So they set out on the way to seek Anna the Fair
Tsarevna. They journeyed for one year, the second
year, and the third year, and they traversed many lands.
Ivan Tsarevich said,, " We have been so long on the
journey and are at last approaching the realms of Anna
the Fair, and still we have not thought out any riddles
for her ! "

" Time enough yet," Katoma replied.

So they rode on, and Katoma saw a purse lying on the
road and said : " Ivan Tsarevich, there is your riddle
for the Tsarevna j give her this riddle to solve : ' Good
lies on the road : we took the good with good, and set it
down to our good.' That she will never solve aU her Hfe
long, for every riddle she has solved at once, for she had
only to look in her magical book ; and she would then
have your head cut off."

At last the Tsarevich and Katoma came to a lofty
castle, where the fair Tsarevna lived. She was just
standing at her balcony, and sent her messengers to meet
them, to know whence they came and what was their will.

Ivan Tsarevich answered : " I have come from my
distant realm in order to woo Anna Tsarevna the Fair."

LEGLESS KNIGHT AND BLIND KNIGHT jzj

Thiff she was told, and she bade the Tsarevich be
introduced into her castle : he was to set her a riddle
in front o£ all her councillors and her princes and^ koydrs.^
" For I have sworn," she said, " to marry him who sets
me a riddle I cannot solve : but if I guess it, then he
must die." The fair Tsarevna listened to the riddle:
"Good lies on the road ; we took the good with good,
and; set it down to our goodi"

Anna the Fair took her conjuring book and' searched'
it through for the riddle — looked the whole book through
in vain. So the princes and« boydrs decided that she
must marry the- Tsarevichs, But she was very gloomy
over it,, yet stiU had to make ready. But in her heart of
hearts she kept thinking : " How could I postpone the
date and get rid of. my bridegroom ? " So she decided
to 1 tire him out through severe tasks. One day she called
Ivan Taarevich to her and said : " Dear Ivan Tsar6vich,
my chosen mate, we must get ready for the marriage.
Do me a smaE service. In my realm there stands in a
certain village a great iron column : bring it to the great
kitchen and split it up into little Ibgs as firewood for the
cook."

" What do you want, Tsarevna ? Have I come to cut
dbwn fuel for you. ? Is that my duty ? Ohi, my servant
can see to that ! " So he called Katoma, and he told him
to. bring the iron column into the kitchen and to hew it
into small logs as fuel for the cook.

Katoma at once went, took the pillar in his two hands,
brought it into the- kitchen and split it up. But he kept
back, four iron shafts and put them into his pcicket, for
he- thought : " Later I may make use of them ! "

Next day the Tsarevna said, " Dear Tsarevich, my
chosen husband, to^-morrow we shall marry. I shall go
in a carriage to church, and you will have a fine prancing
s.teed.' given you. You must get him ready yourself."

* Earls»

324^ RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" I must get the horse ready ! Oh, my servant can
do that ! " .

So Ivan Tsarevich called Katoma, and said : " Come
into the stable and command the grooms to bring the
horse out ; ride it, and to-morrow I will go to church
on it."

But Katoma could see the guile in the Tsarevna's
heart, and instantly went into the stable and ordered
them to bring the horse out. Twelve grooms opened
the twelve locks, undid twelve doors, and led the magical
horse out by twelve chains. Katoma went up to him,
and as soon as ever he had swung himself on to the horse's
back the steed rose high into the air, higher than the
tree-tops in the forest, lower than the clouds in heaven.
But Katoma had a firm seat, and with one hand he held
the mane, and with the other he fetched an iron sheet
out of his pocket and struck the palfrey between the ears.

One sheet broke, then he took a second and a third ;
and after the third broke he was taking the fourth.
The horse was so tired that it could not resist him any
more, but spoke in a human voice : " Father Katoma,
leave me some life, and I wiU come down to earth and
whatever you will I will do."

" Listen then, wretched animal ! " Katoma answered.
" To-morrow Ivan Tsarevich will ride you to his wedding.
Listen ! When the servants take you into the broad
courtyard, and he comes up to you and lays his hand
on you, stand still : do not prick your ear. When he
mounts, kneel down with your hoofs on the ground,
and step under him with a heavy tread as if you were
bearing a burdensome load." So the horse sank half-
dead on to the earth. Katoma, seated by the tail, hailed
the grooms and said, " Ho, you there ! grooms and
coachmen, take this carrion into the stable."

Next day came, and the hour for going to church.
The Tsarevna had a carriage ready, and the Tsarevich

LEGLESS KNIGHT AND BLIND KNIGHT 325

was given the magical horse. And from all parts of the
country the people had assembled in multitudes, count-
less multitudes, to see the bride and bridegroom leave
the white stone palace. And the Tsarevna went into
the carriage and was waiting to see what would happen
to Ivan Tsarevich. She thought to herself that the
horse would prance him up against the winds, and that
she could already see his bones scattered in the open
fields.

Ivan Tsarevich went up to the horse, laid his hand
on its back, put his foot into the stirrup, and the magical
horse stood there as though he were made of stone, and
never pricked an ear. The Tsarevich mounted it, and
the horse bowed deep to the earth. Then his twelve
chains were taken oflF. And he stood with a heavy even
tread, whilst the sweat ran down his back in streams.

" What a hero he is ! What enormous strength ! " all
the people said as Ivan Tsarevich paced by.

So the bride and the bridegroom were betrothed, and
went hand-in-hand out of the church.

The Tsarevna still wanted to test her husband's
strength, and squeezed his hand, but she squeezed so
hard that he could not stand it, and his blood mounted
to his head, and his eyes almost fell out of their sockets.
" That's the manner of hero you are ! " she thought.
" Your man, Katoma Oaken-cap, has deceived me finely.
But I shall soon be even with him."

Anna Tsarevna the Fair lived with her God-sent
husband as a good wife should, and always listened to
his words. But she was ever thinking how she might
destroy Katoma. If she knew that, she could very
easily dispose of the Tsarevich. But, however many
slanders she might think of to teU him, Ivan Tsarevich
never believed her, but held Katoma fast.

One year later he said to his wife : " Dear wif6, beauti-
■ful Tsarevna, I should like to go home with you."

326 RUSSIAN FOLK-TAIJES

" Yes, we will go together. I have long wished to
see your kingdom."

So they set out, and Katoma sat behind the coachman.
As they drove out Ivan Tsarevich dozed off.

Then Anna the Fair suddenly roused him from his
sleep and icomplained. " Listen, Ivan Tsarevich-: you
are always asleep and notice nothing. Katoma wiU not
obey me, but is purposely taking the horses over aU the
cobbles and into all the ditches, as if he wanted to
destroy us. I spoke to him very gently, but he JOnly
laughs at me. I will not go on living if you donot punish
^him I "

Ivan -Tsarevich was drowsy, and very angry with
Katoma, and said to the king's ^daughter': " Do with him
as you will."

So the king's daughter at once made her servants cut
off ICatoma's legs. He submitted to his torturers and
thought : " If I must suffer, stiU the Tsarevich will
soon learn something of what trouble is."

His two legs were cut off : the Tsarevna looked round
and noticed a lofty stump at the edge of the road. She
bade Jier servants set Katoma on it. And as to the
Tsarevich, she tied him to a rope behind the carriage,
and so returned to her own kingdom. Katoma sat on
his tree stem and wept bitter tears.

" Farewell, Ivan Tsarevich : forget me not ! "

Ivan Tsarevich had to leap behind the carriage, and
knew very well that he had made a mis.take, but it could
not be cured.

When Anna the Fair had again reached her kingdom
the Tsarevich had to mind the cows. Every morning
he drove them into the open field, and every evening
drove them back into the royal courtyard; and the
Tsarevna sat on the balcony and saw that none of the
cows was missing. Ivan Tsarevich had to count the
cows and to stable them all, and to give the last one a

LEGLESS KNIGHT AND BLIND KNIGHT 327

Mss under its tail. The cow knew what was expected of
kev, and remained standing at the door and lifted her
tail up.

Katoma aU day long sat on his tree-stump without
meat ior drink, but could not descend, and he thought :
" I must die of hunger." But near by there was a thick
forest, and there a knight lived who was blind but very
-strong. This knight used to scent the animals which
ran by, run after them and catch them, not minding
whether it were a rabbit, or fox, or a bear. He could
roast them for lunch. And he could run so fast, faster
than any animal that leaps. One day a fox came by,
and the knight heard him and ran after him. The fox
ran up to the tree on which Katoma sat, and turned
round there. In his haste the blind man struck the
tree so hard with his forehead that it fell out with its
roots. Katoma tumbled down and asked : " Who are
you ? "

" I am the blind knight, and for three years I have
lived in the wood, feeding myself on the animals I can
catch and bake on my fire ; otherwise I should have died
of hunger."

" Were you blind from birth ? "

" No ; Anna the Fair put my eyes out."

" Brother ! " said Katoma, " she also cut off my legs,
both of them."

So the two knights decided they would live together
and aid each other.

The blind man said to Katoma, " Sit on my back and
show me the way : I will serve you with my feet and
you me with your eyes." The blind man lifted Katoma
up, and the legless man cried out, "Left; right;
straight on ! " So for a long while they lived in the wood
and used to catch rabbits, foxes and bears for their food.
•One day Katoma said : " Why should we live alone
here ? I am told that there is in the town a rich mer-

328 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

chant and his daughter. She, they say, is indescribably
kind towards the poor men and cripples, and gives them
alms with her own hands. Brother, we must carry her
off. She shall live with us as the mistress of the house."

So the blind man took a barrow, put the legless knight
into it, and ran him into the town, up to the merchant's
house. When the daughter looked out of the window
she instantly rushed out in order to give them alms.
She came to Katoma and said, " Take this as God's
blessing ! "

He accepted her gift and laid hold of her hand,
dragged her into the barrow, and cried out to the blind
man, who ran away so fast, faster than any horses could
overtake him. It was all in vain for the merchant to
try to overtake the two knights. The knights brought
the merchant's daughter to their izbd^ in the wood and
said : " Stay with us as our sister, and become the mis-
tress of the house. We poor folk have no one to cook
our food or to do the washing. God wiU not desert you
therefor."

So the merchant's daughter remained with them, and
the two knights honoured and loved her as though she
were their own sister. Sometimes they went a-hunting,
and then the sister remained alone in the house looking
after the domestic service, cooking the food and doing
the washing. But one day Baba Yaga with the bony legs
came into the hut and sucked the blood out of the fair
maiden's breast. And whenever the two knights went
away on the chase, Baba Yaga came back, so that very
soon the merchant's fair daughter became thin and feeble.
But the blind man did not notice : only Katoma noticed
that something had gone wrong, so he told his com-
panion, and both asked their sister what was the cause.

Baba Yaga had forbidden her to tell them anything
about it ; she was therefore much too frightened for a

1 Hut.

LEGLESS KNIGHT AND BLIND KNIGHT 329

long time to tell them what was her trouble. But at
last they persuaded her, and she told them : " Every
time when you go out on the chase an ancient hag comes
into the hut. She has an evil face and long grey hairs.
She hangs her head down over me and sucks my white
breast."

" Oh," said the blind man, " that is the Baba Yaga !
Wait a little bit. We must deal with her in her own
fashion. To-morrow we must not go hunting : we will
try to catch her in the house and to capture her."

Next morning both of them went out. " Creep under
the bench," said the blind man to Katoma, and sit still.
I will go into the courtyard, and wait under the window.
And you. Sister, sit down. If Baba Yaga comes, whilst
you are combing her hair weave a part of her hair and
hang the knot on to the window. I will then seize her
by her grey tresses." It was said and done. The blind
man seized Baba Yaga by her grey tresses, and cried out,
" Ho, Katoma ! come out and hold the evil hag till I
get into the hut."

Baba Yaga heard it, and she wanted to lift her head
and leap away, but she was unable. She tore and grum-
bled, but it was no good. Katoma crept out from the
bank and turned round on her, threw himself on her
like a mountain of iron. He strangled her until the
heavens appeared to her as small as a sheepskin.

The blind man sprang out of the hut and said : " We
must build a big faggot-heap and burn the old hag and
scatter her ashes to the four winds."

Baba Yaga besought them : " Father, dovehng, for-
give me. Whatever you will I will do ! "

" Very well, ancient witch," said the knights, " show
us the well with the waters of Life and Death."

" If you will only not lay me low, I will show it

»

you.
Then Katoma mounted the blind man's back and he

33© RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

took Baba Yaga by Ler 'hair. So they fared into the
deepest part of the slumberous forest, and she there
showed them a well and said : " This is the healing water
•that renders life."

" Take care, Katoma, do not make a mistake. If she
deceives us this time we may not be able to repair it all
our life long."

So Katoma broke off a twig. Tt had hardly fallen into
the water before it flamed up.

" Ah! that was a further deceit of yours ! "

So the two knights made ready to throw Baba Yaga
into the fiery brook. But she still prayed for mercy as
.before, and swore a great oath she would not deceive
any more.

" Really and truly I will show you the right water ! "

So the two knights were ready once more to adventure
it, an,d Baba Yaga took them to another well. Katoma
broke off a dry twig from the tree and threw it into the
well. The twig had hardly fallen into the water before
it sprouted up and became green and blue. " This
iwater is right," said Katoma, so the blind man washed
his eyes and could at once see. And he put the cripple
into the water, and his legs grew on to him.

Then they were both very glad, and said, " Now we
are healthy, we will again talk of our own rights ; but
we must first settle our account with Baba Yaga. If we
now forgive her, we shall get no good thereby, for she
will strive ever against us all her life." So they took her
back to the fiery brook and threw her into it, and she
was burned to death.

Katoma then married the merchant's daughter, and
all three went back into the kingdom of Anna Tsar^vna
the Fair to free Ivan Tsarevich. They went into the
capital, and there he met them with his h.erdof cows.

" Stay, herd," said Katoma, " whither are you driving
the cattle ? "

LEGLESS KNIGHr.AND BLIND KNIGHT 3^1

" into the Queen's couartyand ; the Tsarevna counts
them every day to see whether all the ;cows have come
Baiome."

" Herd, put on my clothes ; I will put on yours .and
will drive the cows home."

" No, brother, that will never do. Should the Tsar-
evna notice it, I should suffer."

. " Fear nothing ; nothing will happen, you will come
by no harm ; Katoma is your surety."

Ivan sighed : " O good man ! if only he were here
I should not be herding cows."

Then Katoma showed himself who he was, and the
Tsarevich embraced him tenderly and wept bitterly.
" I never expected I should see you any more ! "

So they changed clothes, and Katoma drove the cows
into the royal courtyard. Anna Tsarevna came out on
to her balcony and counted the cattle. Then she com-
manded to take them all into the stable. All the cows
went into the stable : only the last stayed behind and
raised her tail. Katoma sprang up at her and cried out,
" Wretched animal ! why are you stopping here ? "
So he gripped and snatched the tail so mightily that the
entire skin remained in his hand.

When Anna Tsarevna saw this she cried out aloud,
" What is that wretched herdsman doing ? Lay hold
of him an(^ bring him to me."

So the attendants laid hold on Katoma and dragged
him into the castle. Katoma suffered it without resist-
ence and relied on his strength.

He was taken up to the Tsarevna, who looked at him
and said, " Who are you ? "

" I am Katoma, whose legs you once cut off and then
set on a tree trunk."

Then the Tsarevna thought, " If he can get his legs
back, I can do no more against him." And she asked for
forgiveness from him and the Tsarevich. She repented

332 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

of her sins and swore an oath that she would ever love
Ivan Tsarevich and obey him in all things.

Ivan Tsarevich forgave her, and forthwith they lived
in peace and unison. The knight who was once blind
stayed by them. But Katoma went away with his wife
to the rich merchant and abode in his house.

A CURE FOR STORY-TELLING

There was once a porter in the world : he had a wife
who was passionately fond of stories, and she would only
let people come and visit her who could tell stories.
Well, as you may understand, this was rather costly to
the husband. So he began to think, " How can I cure
her of this undesirable habit ? "

Well, one day in the winter, late at night, an old man
came in frozen to atoms, and he asked to be allowed to
stop the night. So the husband ran out to him and
said, " Can you tell tales ? "

TTien the peasant saw that there was no help for it,
as he was simply freezing with cold, and said, " I have
an idea : will you tell stories for a long time ? "

" Yes, all night long."

" Capital : come in ! "

So he led the guest in.

Then the husband said, " Now, my wife, here is a
peasant who has promised to tell stories all night long,
on the condition that you are not to make any remarks
or interruptions."

" Yes," said the guest ; " no remarks, or else I shall
not open my mouth."

So they had supper and lay down to sleep, and the
peasant began —

*' There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well

and sipped the water.
" There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well

and sipped the water.

333

334 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

" There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well

and sipped the water.
" There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well

and sipped the water."

And he went on telling, the same, thing over and over
again —

" There was. an owj flyjng, across a garden,, and it. sat over a weH"
and sipped the water."

So the mistress went on- listenings, and at last inter-
rupted : " What sort of a tale is this ? Why,, it is a
mere repetition."

" Why do you interrupt me ? I told you you must
not make" any exclamations : this is the prefaxre of the
tale, and' there comes another after it.'"

Then the man, after hearing this, cotdd not help
leaping up from the bench and whipping his wife.

"Ybui were told not to make any interruptions, and
you will n-ot let him end his story."

So he set on beating, beating, whipping, slippering,
basting her, until the wife at the end- hated stoiies;. and
was in despair ever afterwards at the sound of them.

NOTES

Aly-osha Popovich. One of tke great knights at the court of
Erince Vladimir. He was an effeminate kind of person and
perhaps one who rather incited others to effort by his jibes than
by his prowess. He is always given the uncomplimentary soubri-
j;«if,of.the ' Mocker o£ Women.' His principal heroic, episode-is
told in the prose ballad in this book entitled ' Alyosha-Pbgovich/

AngeyjT-siiX. Filuyan is a fabulous, city found in the cant^ations
animystical rites of the Russian peasants. It is, however, probably
derived from the Greek QvKri^

Bdba Tagd. In Professor Sypherd'sL studies, on; Chaucer.'&.
House of Fame, Chaucer Society, 1904, a most valuable note will
be found on revolving houses. It will be seen that the legend, i?
cognate with magic wheels liiat revolve at great speed, or turn
on wheels emitting flame and poison. The nearest analogy
quoted is the whirling rampart" in the MaeV Duinn; but the
Russian legend is evidently related and not derived.

Bogatjr. The bogatyr is the Russian Knight, but is absolutely
unlike any Western! romanticinotion. He is a person of magical
power and gigantic: stature and prowess. Some o£ the bogatyri
are decidedly demi-god.s ; others more decisively human ; but
they all have some superhiunan, it may be said iniiumani touch.
The derivation of the word has been, very much in dispute. The
characteristic thing to note is that the. word is only found in
Russian, and in no other- Slavonic language, and. is almost cer-
tainly of Tatar origin, the original form being something like
Bagadur. The Sanskrit derivation which is attempted of Bagha-
dhara seems scarcely probable; Goryayev's^ dictionary states that
the original meaning was a company-commander of the Tatars.

335

336 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

If so, btgaf^r is probably a corruption (though bog God and bogat
rich) of the form buitur, found in the Slovo, which is certainly
cognate with the Turanian root bw, to command, v. notes in my
edition of Igor.

Bryansk. Bryansk in the Province of Orel contains wonderful
woods which were in ancient times impenetrable, and became
the legendary home of magic, and of weird happenings. The
Aspen tree is always associated in Russian folk-lore with magic
and wizardry ; it is also said that Judas hanged himself on this
tree.

Chernigov. An ancient city of Russia on the Dniepr, a little
higher up than Kiev.

Christ. As, in German folk-lore, the legends of Christ walking
the earth with His disciples are very frequent and characteristic.
There is a touch of friendly familiarity in this presentation which
does not involve the least irreverence, but adds a touch of sarcastic
humour which the Germans lack.

The Brother of Christ. For the punishment of the old man
who grumbled at the good things of earth there is a surprisingly
close analogy in Dante's Inferno, canto vii.^

" Fitti nel limo dicon ; Tristi fummo
Nell' aer dolce che dal sol s'aUegra,
Portando dentro accidioso fummo :
Ob c' attristiam nella belletta negra."

" Sunk in the slime they utter : ' Loth were we.
In sweet air sullen, which the sun makes glad,
Our souls besmirched with dull reluctancy :
Now in this black morass, our hearts are sad.' "

Chufil-Filyushka. Both these names are adaptations of the
Greek deo^tXof,

NOTES 337

The Crystal Apple and the Silver Saucer

There is a strong Celtic flavour about this episode. Cf. The
Twa Sisters o' Binnorie.

Ho's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair

(Binnorie, oh Binnorie),
And wi' them strung his harp sae rare

By the bonny miU-dams of Binnorie.

And sune the harp sang loud and clear

(Binnorie, oh Binnorie),
Fareweel my father, and mother dear !

By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie.

And then, as plain as plain could be,

(Binnorie-, oh Binnorie),
There sits my sister wha drowned me !

By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

In this story the Russian of the words sung by the piper is
also in Russian ballad metre.

DanUo the Unfortunate. This is a prose version of a ballad and
contains a very full account of this legend. The old hag whom
Danilo meets on the way is elsewhere called the Wise Woman of
Kiev, an old witch with the ugly qualities generally assigned.

Death. Death is feminine in Russian and occurs all through
the folk-lore as the visible figure of a skeleton whom they met
by the way on the roadsides, and who may be cheated of her
prey or dealt with like any other demon.

Dolrjnya Nikitich. One of the great figures at the legendary
court of Prince Vladimir. He was a dragon-slayer, but his
principal employment was as ambassador.

338 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

The Dream. Notes

The izba, or hut, always has a dvor or courtyard, access to
which is gained through double gates as well as through a postern.
Often the hut is raised by a flight of steps from the level of the
courtyard.

The izhd may have a cooling room in which to rest, so as to
avoid the sjidden change of air from the heated inner room ;
it is also a living room in the summer. Outside the dvor against
the fence there is a bench (Idvka), on which the family sits in
the summer. The hut is made of legs, the fence of boards.

Between the rafters and the sloped roof is the loft (cherddk),
into which a ladder leads.

Inside the hut is that essential and central feature of Russian
peasant life, the stove, which occupies one side of a wall. In
front against it three long implements stand, the poker, broom
and shovel. The oven rests on a brick or tile foundation, about
eighteen inches high, with a semicircular hollow space below.
The top of the stove is used for a sleeping bench (poldty) for the
old folk or the honoured guest. In larger houses there may be a
lezhdn'ka or heating stove, used as a sleeping sofa.

The bath-house is separate from the hut, and contains a
flight of steps for different degrees of heat, obtained from white-
hot stones on which water is flung. This is only found in better-
class houses. In villages there is a general bath-house to which
the peasants go once a week.

Every corner in the izbd has its particular name. There is
the great corner, where the Ikon stands, the uffer corner near the
door, and the stove corner opposite to the doors of the stove.

The fence is made of boards or sticks or stumps.

Long thin laths are stuck on to an iron spike, and Ut ; a pail
of water is placed below into which the cinders fall ; these
lamps must be renewed as they burn down, and the charred ends
swept up.

Up to very recent times, patriarchal usages obtained through
Russia, and married sons resided in the father's house.

ThiB particular story portrays some of the personifications and
allegorizings of the common acts of Kfe ; all of which have their'
appropriate blessing or grace. There are a number of tales of

NOTES 339

the curse attendant on the neglect of these duties, e.g. Ihe Devil
in the Dough-fan.

An example of the invocations is given in a note to Ihe Mid-
night Dance.

Duke. i.e. a translation of voyevoda, which is again a trans-
lation of the High-German Herzog, which again is derived from
the Latin Dux, meaning the leader of an army, not a mere title.

Egori Khrahry. Egori the Brave. Is the Russian counter-
part for St. George the Dragon-slayer.

Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas. Perun was the God of
Thunder in pagan Slavdom, and his attributes have been trans-
ferred to Elijah who is represented as driven up to Heaven
in a . fiery chariot darting fiery rays, drawn by four winged
horses, and surrounded by clouds and flames ; a tale which
copied the biblical account of Elijah's end. On earth the
noise of the wheels is called thunder. In Novgorod there
were one or two churches to St. Elijah of the Drought, and
St. Elijah of the Rain, to be consulted as occasion required.
The name days of these saints are December 6th and July zoth.

Hawk. The hawk is one of the most common references in
Russian folk-lore, and the reference to the clear-eyed hawk is
one of the strongest metaphors. The crow is equally common,
but is generally used as a malign being. In Russian folk-tale there
is nothing incongruous in a man having as his sons a boy, a crow
and a hawk or an eagle : or as in ' Mdrya Morevna,' where the
marriage of Ivan with a beautiful princess and of his two sisters
with the eagle and the crow are all of them equally plausible.

Idolishche. One of the symbols of paganism in the early ballads
of Russia. He is generally represented as a gluttonous monster ;
but in the ballad of the Realms of Copper, Silver, and Gold his
name has been given too as a goblin. Goblins are very rare in
Russian folk-lore : fairies seem to be non-existent.

340 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

IlyA Muroncets. Ilya Murometsis one of the heroes of' the
Kiev cycle ; he derives his strength from mystical' sotirces of
Mother Ekrth, and his great feat is the slaying of the Nightingale
Robber. He is intermediate between the ' elder bogapyfi,'' the-
earth-born Tirans, and the human champions of the legendary
Court of Vladimir. He is always, of popular; origin and, as sucJi,
at variance with/th.e semirScandinavian Court;

Ivan Vasil'evich. The Tsar Ivan Vasil'evich is a very popular
figure in the Russian ballads ; there are two of this name :
Ivan III. 1462-1505, and Ivan the Terrible, 1533-1584. Both
were very energetic rulers who enlarged the domain of Moscow
and curbed the power of the territorial nobility.

Midnight Dan<:e. General Notes to this Stort

The underworld is the home of magic This charm, to be
said by a soldier going to the wars,, may be of interest. ,

"Beneath the sea, the sea of KhvaL5b,sk [the Caspian], there
stands a house of bronze, and in that house of bronze, the fiery
serpent is enchained,- and under the fiery serpent lies the seven
pud. key from the castle of the Prince, the Prince Vladimir^ and..
in the princely castle, the castle of Vladimir, are laid, the knightly
trappings of the knights of Novgorod, of the youthful war-men.

" On the. broad Volga, on the steep-set banks, the princely swan
swims from the Prince's courtyard! I will capture that, swan, I
will seize it, I vnll grasp it. (I will say) ' Thou, oh swan, fly to
the sea of Khvalj^sk, peck the fiery snake to death, gain the seven
fud key, the key from the earth of Prince Vladimir.' In my
power it is not to fly to the sea of Khval;^sk ; in my power it is
not to peck to death the fiery snake ; nor with my legs may I
reach the seven pud key. There is on the sea, on the ocean,
on the island of Buyan, the eldest brother of all the crows, and
he will fly to the sea of Khval;^sk, he will peck to death the
fiery snake, he wiU gain the seven pud key ; but the crow is-hdd
back by the evil witch of Kiev. In the standing wood, in the
grey-clad forest, stands a little hut, not thatched, not wattled ;
and, in the little hut, lies the evil witch of Kiev. I will go to
the standing forest, the dreamy wood, I will enter in at the hut
of the evil witch of Kiev.

NOTES 341

"Thou,, oh evil witch of Kiev,. bid thy crow,% over the sea of
Khval^nsk, to the house of bronze ; bid him peck the fiery snake,
bid him gain the seven pud key. She was grim, and she clove to
-her crow, the evil witch of Kiev. In my old age I cannot roam
to the sea, to the ocean, to the isle of Buyan, to the Black Crow.
Do, thou bid, by my enchanting words, the crow gain me the seven
■pud key.

" The crow has smitten the house of bronze, has pecked the
fiery snake to death, has gained the: seven pud.key.

" With .that key I will unlock the princely castle, the castle of
Vladimir, I will gain the knightly gear, the trappings of the
kniights of Novgorod, of the youthful war-men; .and in that
;gear the arquebus cannot fell me, the. shots cannot; hit me, the
warriors and champions, .the hosts of Tatary and>Kazdn cannot
hurl Hie.

" I invoke the servant, a man, a fighter, in the host, who ;goeth
to war with these my potent words.

"My words diejdown.
My deeds .they crown."

[Kazan was the last stronghold of the Tatars. It was stormed
in 1549.]

^uyan is a kind of fairy hill like the lir n^an dg of the Irish
folk-tales, the land of youth, and cannot probably be assigned
to any physical geography. Most probably the mythical Isle of
Buyan is the reminiscence of the Isle of Riigen. The whole of the
"Pomeranian coast from Liibeck to the Memel was, prior to its
conquest by the Saxons and the Brandenburgers, a Slavonic
district, and the Isle of Riigen, in especial, the promontory of
Arcona, a seat of the most highly developed Slavonic pagan ritual :
Saxo Grammaticus has conserved us fuU details. Considering
the intimate association of the mysterious stone Aldtyr (probably
meaning ambet) with 'Buyan : and the fact that Buyan is a Slav
'translation of the Old Slav nanie Ruyan, the wind-swept isle
[cf. English rough, German rauh, etc.]; also taken the specific
references in the magic charms in connection with the facts
recorded by the Scandinavian chroniclers, there seems to be little
doubt that the Isle of Buyan is a folk-tale shadow of the old place

342 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

of Pagan pilgrimage, contaminated, of course, with other fantastic
elements.

Katoma. This is one of the marvellous servants whom for-
tunate princes possess in folk-lore. In Russian folk-tales they
have magical attributes, and are often described by their caps,
e.g. oaken-cap, blue-cap, etc.

Koshchey the Deathless. The meaning of this name is very hard
to determine. There are at least three disparate ideas involved.
First of all the most ancient is that which occurs in the Word of
Igor's Armament, in which the word Koshchey is used for a
warrior of the hostile Polovtsy ; and, when Igor is said to be put
on a Koshchey saddle, it means he is taken into captivity. Hence
the word koshchey came to be used in Russian as meaning a slave,
or a groom, originally a captive slave from the Polovtsy who
fought the Russians for over two hundred years. Consequently
the word has a meaning in Russian folk-lore which has a wide-
spread Aryan notion, that of a fearful Enchanter who lives in a
mountain fastness far removed ; runs away with the beautiful
princess, and can only be slain by the valiant lover, going through
unfordable streams, impenetrable forests and unpassable moun-
tains, so as to catch hold of his soul which is contained in a casket,
or in some other manner is always terribly enclosed. He takes
this soul, which is as a rule lastly contained in an egg, up to the
Monster's palace, scrunches it in his hand, and the monster dies.
Thirdly, the word became confused with kosf, bone, and so
came to mean a skeleton or miser, and a wandering Jew. The
epithet ' deathless ' does not mean indestructible, but that he
can only be slain in an extraordinary manner and will not die in a
natural way.

Kutizovo. The Kutuzovy are-one of the most ancient of
Russian families ; this particular viUage~i{om which they derive
their name must be somewhere on the tride xoute^ of the
Dniepr.

Kvas. A liquid made from various kinds of flour and fermented
with sour milk to which is added malt or yeast.

NOTES 343

Name-day. The day of the patron Saint. In Russia Saints' days
are kept in place of birthdays.

Na-um. In this Russian name the two vowels are to be sounded
separately, Na-im.

Nightingale Robber. His patronymics are Rakhmanovich,
Odikhmantovich, Rakhmanya, all of them very difficult of
definition or explanation.

Nightingale Robber. Ilya Miiromet's conquest of the Night-
ingale Robber is his most notable feat. He is a very difficult
figure to explain. He is a gigantic bird who has been explained
on the one hand as a highway robber who was a great bard, for
the Russian solovey (nightingale) is applied to a minstrel. But
it is more probable that there is a confusion of two other words
in this one, and that the word solovey, which has come to mean
nightingale, is either derived from sldva, meaning fame, or from
the same root as the hostile power whom Ilya Muromets, in some
of the ballads, fights, namely Solovnik the Grey One. Be this as
it may, the version which has come down is that the Nightingale
Robber was an enormous bird, whose nest spread over seven oaks,
who had needed no other weapon than his dreadful beast-like,
lion-like, or dragon-like whistle on which every wall and every
beast and every man fell down in sheer terror. The rest of this
story may be gathered from the one which has been selected for
this book.

The Pike. The pike plays a peculiar part in Russian folk-lore.

Potdn'ka. The name of Potan'ka [in which the ' n ' and ' k '
are to be sounded separately as in pincase], is also found in the
Novgorod ballads where Potan'ka the Lame is one of the boon
companions of Vasili Buslayevich.

Priskazka. Many of the tales begin with a conventional
introduction which has no relation to the story. Such an
instance may be found in ' The Wolf and the Tailor.' Also in
' A Cure for Story-telling.' And the tale of ' The Dun Cow,'
* Princess to be Kissed at a Charge,' etc.

344 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

The Realm of Stone. For the episodes in this story of the
kingdom turned to stone there seems strong evidence of adapta-
tion or loan from the Arabian Nights. Cf. The Tale of the
Young King of the Black Islands, and the Tale of the City of
Brass, but the development is very different.

Selezh. A city in the Vitebsk Province bordering on Poland.

Shemyak. The judge. Shemyakin Sud, the court of Shemylk,
is a proverbial expression for arbitrary judgments. He was a
prince of Galicia of the time of Vasili II, 1425-62. He -was also
a leader of the unruly nobles of that time. This may be partly
the reason that the name of the family has been given this
unfortunate significance.

The Shovel. Shovels are used to insert loaves and pots deep
into the Russian stove, for which use see the long note on the
' Dream.'

The Sister of the Sun. The Russian commentator in the com-
pilation, from which these stories are drawn, states that this is the
expression for the davm.

Sorrow. This picture of Sorrow as an ancient hag who pursues
mankind throughout life is peculiarly Russian and is the theme
of very many beautiful ballads. She is described as a lovely
beggar woman, with a pale face, low stature, and hare's blood in
her veins, and her cheeks of poppy red, and she entices men to
drink their sorrow away in the public-houses, and is frequently
turned into a moral lesson against over-indulgence. But this
particular appUcation of the myth, the picture of her as a wander-
ing devil who attaches herself to unfortunate heroes but can be
cheated into non-existence, much like the ordinary devil of folk-
lore^ is a feature, as has been said, probably peculiar to Russia.

St. Nicholas. In Russia St. Nicholas is the most popular
miracle worker amongst all the saints. In the story of St. Nicholas
and St. Elias his beneficent character is clearly shown.

In the story of St. Nicholas the Wonder Worker, I have taken

NOTES 345

tke story as I found it, aud have not attempted to fill up the
obvious gaps.

The Sun, and how it was made by Divine Will. This story is
of literary and ancient origin ; the language is very antique.

Svyatogor. .Svyatqgor in this story may be -eponymous of jgeo-
graphy. The word standing for svyatyya gory, the sacred moun-
tains. Murom is an ancient Russian settlement in the province
of Vladimir, by the river "Ota, and the village of Karacharovo
is not far off.

As to Svyatogor's bride, there is another story which tells. how
he acquired her. One day 'Svyato]g6r was walking on the earth
and laid hold of a wallet which an old man whom he met wander-
ittg'by held. He could not lift it however, for it was roote'din
the earth. He went on from there to a smith, something -like
'Wa;^knd Smith (the whole tale has a curious Norse tang), who
forged his fortune, told him' he would liave to go to the Kingdom
by the Sea, and there' he would find his wife who for thirty years
had been lying in the dung. He proceeds to the Kingdom by
the Sea, finds the miserable hut, enters it, and sees the maiden
•lying in the dung. And her body was as dark as a pine. So
■Svyatogdr ^UTchases her freedom by taking out five hundred
roubles, laying it on the table, and then snatching tip his sharp
sword out of his sheath smote her on her white breasts and so
left her. Then the maiden woke up, and the skin of age-long
filth had been broken ; she went and traded with the five hundred
roubles, came to' the Holy Mountains, and presented hers^f there
in .all her maiden beauty. Svyatogor the Knight also came to
look on her, fell in "love and wooed her for his wife. He then
' recognisediher by the scar on her white breasts.

fhe Swan Maiden. This is one of the most bafflin'g fi'gures in
Russian mythology. She corresponds to the Siren of Greece, and
the.Lojjeleiof Germany, but is very distinct in all her character-
istics. She is also called in the Russian Devitsa (maiden), whidh
may i)e. a corruption of Divitsa, the feminine of-Div,' one of the
ancient pagan deities of- Russia. Like the Lorelei,^she is said to
sit on the rocks and draw sailors down into the depths, but her
more human characteristics are stated in this story.

346 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

thoughtless Word. The devil ia this story is the popular myth
of the water-gods or sprites, elsewhere called the vodyanoy or
vodydnik. The point of detail, that after the rescue of the maiden
the boy has to walk backwards until he reaches the high road, is
rather similar to the Celtic notion of Widdershins, the super-
stition that anyone who walked round the churchyard contrary
to the direction of the sun would be captured by the fairies.

Tugarin Zmyeyevich. Tugarin Zmyeyevich, the strong man,
the Serpent's Son.

Vaznza and Volga. Similar stories are told of other rivers.
The old Russian ballads give names and patronymics to their
rivers such as the people use for themselves, e.g. Dnepr Slovutich
Don Ivanych.

The Vaziiza is a short stream crossing the borders of the
provinces of Tver and Smolensk, meeting a great bend of the
Volga at Zubtsov (in the province of Tver).

The Sea of Khvalynsk is the Caspian, so called from an ancient
people (the lOivalisi) of the eleventh and tenth centuries, who
lived at the mouth of the Volga in the Caspian. There is also a
town called IChvalynsk on the Volga in the province of Saratov,
above the city of Saratov.

This particular story is probably a poetization of a geographical
fact, but in all the Russian folk-lore the river-gods play a very
great part. Thus Igor in The Word of Igor's Armament, on
the occasion of his defeat, has a very beautiful colloquy with
the Donets. At least two of the heroes of the ballad cycle,
Don Ivanovich and Sukhan Odikhmantevich, are in some aspects
direct personifications of the rivers, whilst the river-gods exercise
a direct and vital influence over the fortunes of several others,
such as Vasili Buslavich and Dobrynya Nikitich.

Many Russian rivers have been rendered almost into human
characters. The ordinary speech is still of Mother Volga. In
the Novgorod ballads there is a mention of Father Volkhov,
much as we speak of Father Thames, and there were very great
possibilities of the development of a river mythology which did
not succeed. It is worth observing that in one ballad dealing with
Vasili Buslavich, the hero of Novgorod, this semi-comic figure is

NOTES 347

twitted by the men of Novgorod that he will one day turn the
Volkhov into Kvas (q.v.) : i.e. he will one day set the Thames on
fire. [Rybnikov, I, 336].

Jhe Wood-Sfrite. Lhhi is a peculiar feature in Russian folk-
lore. He is somewhat similar to Pan, but is also represented as
having copper arms, and an iron body, terms which refer to colour
rather than to material. Sometimes he has claws for hands.

Yagd Bira. This is the same as Baba Yaga, but is specific
reference to the Witch who raises the Wind.

GLOSSARY

Asfen. Always associated with magic. Its' trembling leaves
give it a weird appearance.

Baba Yagd. Russian witch, also Yaga Bura.

Bdbusbkoii The grandmother;

Bdrkhat. This word also means velvet.

Batyushka. Father in a general sense, meaning anybody older.
OtSts is father, meaning the relationship of father and som

Birds' milk. The Russian folk-tale expression: for asking' for
the moon.

Boydrs. This may be translated earls, but in the Russian social
scale it only meant the bigger men, the sei^^ieurs.,

Boydrynyi. Countesses, feminine, plural, of isyif.
Chido-YMa. The Oldi Man of the Sea. , This is a veiy clear
loan from the Homeric Proteus.

Dyddka. Uncle. A term of respect.

Egorushko Zalydt. Means George the Bold Flieri

Fatd. A long silken glove.

Gisli. A musical instrument, something like a zither with
seven strings.

Ivdshk o Ztmkhnik. Ivan, who is always sitting behind the
Stove.

Ivdshechko. A diminutive form of Ivan. '

Ivdshko. A diminutive form of Ivan,

Izbd. Hut,

Kaftan. A peasant's overcoat, made very long.

Khvalynsh. The old name of the Caspian. Vide Vazuza and
V61ga.

349

350 RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

KoroUvich. King's son. Kor61, king.

KoroUvna. King's wife.

Ksdlavy. Mythical birds, the meaning of which is entirely
unknown.

Mikhdilo Ivdnovich. The popular name for the bear.

Misha KosoUfy. Dmitri, the Bandylegged.

Morevna. Of the sea.

Nikita. From the Greek NiKjjT^i, conquer.

Pope. Village priest.

Pud. A Russian weight. Thirty-six pounds avoirdupois.

Sarafan. A short sleeveless jacket, generally embroidered, worn
over the bodice or the blouse.

Sazhen. A length of seven feet.

Sebezh. A city in the Vitebsk province, bordering on Poland.
The Poles and the Mussulmen are all called infidels, Saracens or
Busormany.

Shuba. A fur mantle.

Stdrosta. Mayor of a town.

Telega. A peasant's cart without springs.

Tsarevich. Tsar's son.

Tydtya. Daddy.

Tzarevna. Tsar's wife.

Ukaz. Imperial edict.

Fdnya. A diminutive form of Ivan.

Fertodub. The oak-turner, a gigantic figure.

Fertogdr. The mountain-turner ; a gigantic figure.

Fdron Foronovich. Crow Crowson.

Zamoryshek. This name is freely translated Benjamin, the
last-born son of an old man.